Armand Duplantis claimed victory in a street-level Diamond League showdown in Lausanne on Thursday, August 20, 2026, clearing 6.21 meters after a fierce duel with Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis. The competition pushed the world record holder to his limits just four days after their European Championship clash.
Four days after securing an European Championship gold medal, Armand Duplantis found himself locked in what he termed historiens bästa stavhoppstävling
—the greatest pole vault competition in history—on the streets of Lausanne, Switzerland. The event, organized away from the standard stadium track on a specially built downtown runway, brought spectators right up to the landing mats. Nearly the entire top ten ranked pole vaulers in the world participated, with only Netherlands vaulter Menny Vloon and Frenchman Thibaut Collet absent from the elite field.
The Superduell Against Emmanouil Karalis in Lausanne
While Duplantis handled early heights efficiently—going in at 5.51 meters and bypassing 5.66 before clearing 5.81 on his first attempt—Greek competitor Emmanouil Karalis provided a rare challenge that forced Duplantis out of cruise control. By the time the bar reached 6.01 meters, only Duplantis and Karalis remained with flawless cards. Both cleared that height cleanly, setting the stage for a dramatic escalation.
When the bar moved to 6.16 meters—representing a potential outdoor personal best for the Greek vaulter—Karalis missed his first attempt. Duplantis answered immediately by flying over the height on his first try. Karalis gathered himself and cleared 6.16 on his second attempt, matching his second-highest career clearance and keeping the pressure squarely on the Swede. The bar then moved to 6.21 meters. Karalis missed his initial effort, but Duplantis säkrade segern genom att klara 6,21 i första försök, setting a new meeting record in the process.
Karalis exhausted his remaining attempts at higher markers without success, ending the night in second place behind Duplantis. Reflecting on the intense contest, the athlete acknowledged his opponent’s stellar form in his post-event remarks.
Armand Duplantis stated via Aftonbladet that this was fantastic, that he just wanted to take off his hat to Manolo, and that it was incredible.
Chasing the World Record and Dealing with Pre-Event Drama
With the victory secure, Duplantis turned his attention upward, raising the bar to 6.32 meters in an attempt to break his own world record. After two unsuccessful tries at the height, a visibly fatigued Duplantis decided to call it a night rather than take a third attempt. The decision capped an intense week that included the European Championship gold in Birmingham on the preceding Sunday.
The road to Lausanne had featured its share of unusual hurdles. Earlier in the week, during a television appearance where he promoted his new official song Gold
—intended for the upcoming World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest—Duplantis revealed that a pre-competition meal of Indian food had caused stomach turbulence before his championship campaign. Television host Steffo Törnquist seized on the anecdote during a broadcast appearance, joking that eating tikka masala offered a novel recipe for gaining fart
(speed) on the runway.
During the competition itself, tactical adjustments nearly derailed Duplantis early on. He admitted to struggling with the transition between a 20-step and a 22-step approach. His father and coach, Greg Duplantis, intervened after a shaky opening round when the vaulter considered pulling out early, offering encouragement that steadied his performance.
What Lies Ahead on the Diamond League Calendar
The fierce competition in Lausanne signals a shifting dynamic in men’s pole vaulting. While Duplantis remains the undisputed world leader, Karalis has established himself as a challenger capable of forcing Duplantis to execute at heights rarely required to win a one-day meeting.
Both athletes will return to action quickly. The next Diamond League stop is scheduled in Chorzow, Poland, on Sunday, August 23, 2026, where the rivalry between Duplantis and Karalis will resume.
