Duplantis opens outdoor season with a good 'feel'

EUGENE (Oregon) • Olympic champion Armand Duplantis had somewhat of a good "feel" of the outdoor season on Friday, winning the men's pole vault at the Prefontaine Classic.

The Swedish world record holder cleared 5.91 metres to finish ahead of Tokyo silver medallist Chris Nilsen of the United States and Norway's Sondre Guttormsen - both 5.81m - at the Diamond League meet in Eugene, where the World Championships will be held in July.

"Going into the first outdoor meet of the season for me, it was like just trying to get a feel for the outdoor season," said Duplantis.

The 22-year-old, whose world record stands at 6.20m, attempted to clear 6.07m after securing gold but failed with all his three efforts.

"Winning was the most important thing but I think I would be lying if I said I'm not bitter about making that (6.07m) bar. I felt like it was very possible... it just wasn't for today I guess," he said.

Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who won bronze in the women's high jump at last year's Olympics, soared to gold with a leap of 2.00m - a new world-leading mark this season. She edged out American Vashti Cunningham and Kazakhstan's Nadezhda Dubovitskaya - both 1.93m - under the lights at Hayward Field.

"The jumps were fantastic. I am happy to compete at this stadium because this July the World Championships are here," said Mahu-chikh. "I think 2m is a good jump to open my outdoor season and I hope my season will go higher."

In the women's discus, American Olympic champion Valarie Allman threw 68.35m on her penultimate attempt to take the gold. Two-time Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic (65.50m) was second, with Kristin Pudenz (62.58m) third.

Until the decision to hold the field events on Friday, the highlights of the night were expected to be world-record attempts in the men's and women's 5,000m - neither of which came to fruition.

Uganda's Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Joshua Cheptegei posted a world-leading 12min 57.99sec to win the men's 5,000m, but did not threaten the world record of 12:35.36 he set in 2020. Ethiopia's Milkesa Mengesha (13:01.11) was second and Kenya's Daniel Simiu Ebenyo (13:10.61) third.

Ethiopia's Ejgayehu Taye upset compatriot Letesenbet Gidey in the women's 5,000m, clocking a world-leading 14:12.98. Gidey, the 10,000m Olympic bronze medallist, was aiming to improve the world record of 14:06.62 she set in 2020 but instead settled for second in 14:24.59.

REUTERS