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STOCKHOLM : Sweden’s Armand Duplantis failed in another attempt to break his own pole vault world record but continued to impress ahead of the Paris Olympics at the Diamond League meet at Stockholm’s Olympic Stadium on Sunday.
The Olympic and world champion broke his record for the eighth time with a vault of 6.24 metres in April, and after easing to victory with his first attempt at 6.00m on Sunday, he had the home crowd behind him as he attempted to go even better.
Duplantis came bitterly close, but was unable to clear 6.25m in his three attempts. Two-time world champion American Sam Kendricks was second with 5.90m.
World record holder Lamecha Girma set the fastest time in the world this season when winning the men’s 3,000 metres steeplechase in 8:01.63, ahead of fellow Ethiopian Samuel Firewu, who set a personal best of 8:05.78.
Femke Bol made a winning return to action as she contested her first outdoor race of the year, and the Dutch world champion had little trouble winning the women’s 400metres hurdles in a time of 53.07.
“It was really fun, Stockholm is really a wonderful place and especially if I can run during Mondo’s world record attempts, then the crowd is really amazing,” Bol said.
America’s two-time world champion Chase Jackson won the women’s shot put with her second throw of 20 metres enough to defeat Canada’s Sarah Mitton, the world indoor champion, who took second with 19.98.
“I think both of us with Sarah could have thrown further. It was a really good competition and it kind of showed what is coming up at the Olympics,” Jackson said.
Brazil’s Alison dos Santos cruised to victory in the men’s 400m hurdles, ahead of world silver medallist Kyron McMaster.
Dos Santos, who beat Norway’s Olympic and world champion Karsten Warholm in Oslo on Thursday with a world-leading 46.63, could afford to run a slower time of 47.01 as he eased to the line having exploded down the back straight.
“When I compare these last two races in Oslo and Stockholm, I would say that the biggest difference is the feeling you have at these stadiums,” Dos Santos said.
“Here, I feel like I am home, everybody is like screaming for me. In Norway, I know that they cheer for Warholm. So that is kind of a difference between these two.”
British Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir strolled to a win in the women’s 1,500 metres in a time of 3:57.99. Muir made her move on the final bend and pulled away down the home straight.
Kenya’s Edinah Jebitok came second with a personal best of 3:58.88 ahead of Georgia Griffith, the Australian who won over 3000m in Oslo on Thursday.
“I did not expect to run my PB but I did my best and I tried. I was very surprised to come out second,” Jebitok said.
World champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the women’s high jump, clearing 2.00m at the second attempt, with the Ukrainian making her outdoor season debut.
Jamaica’s world champion Shericka Jackson won the women’s 200m in a season’s best of 22.69, but still well off her 21.41 from last season, the second fastest time ever.
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