The pole vault world witnessed a significant moment at the Stockholm Diamond LeagueCompetition·Stockholm Diamond League on June 7, 2026, as Sweden's Armand DuplantisPlayer·Armand Duplantis, the reigning world record holder and multiple champion, experienced a rare defeat. Australian pole vaulter Curtis MarshallPlayer·Curtis Marshall ended Duplantis's extraordinary streak of 40 consecutive victories, claiming first place with a clearance of 5.90 meters.
Duplantis, competing on home soil, finished second with a best jump of 5.80 meters. The competition unfolded under challenging weather conditions, which appeared to affect the athletes' performances. Duplantis began his attempts with some difficulty, clearing his initial height of 5.60 meters on his second try. He then successfully navigated 5.80 meters on his first attempt. Opting to bypass 5.90 meters, Duplantis raised the bar directly to 6.00 meters, a height he failed to clear in his first two attempts. He subsequently moved to 6.05 meters for his final effort but was unable to succeed, ultimately settling for second position.
Curtis MarshallPlayer·Curtis Marshall, a world medalist, demonstrated composure, clearing 5.90 meters on his third attempt to secure the victory. France's Baptiste ThierryPlayer·Baptiste Thierry also cleared 5.80 meters, earning him the third-place finish.
This marks Duplantis's first loss since the 2023 Diamond LeagueCompetition·Diamond League event in MonacoVenue·Monaco, where American Christopher NilsenPlayer·Christopher Nilsen claimed victory with a jump of 5.92 meters, and Duplantis placed fourth with 5.72 meters.
Despite this recent setback, Duplantis has maintained a phenomenal season in 2025/26. He set his 15th world record on March 12, 2026, in UppsalaVenue·Uppsala, Sweden, by clearing an impressive 6.31 meters at the Mondo ClassicCompetition·Mondo Classic, a personal and season best. His season commenced in February 2026 with a victory at the All Star PercheCompetition·All Star Perche, where he cleared 6.06 meters. Furthermore, Duplantis secured his fourth consecutive indoor world title at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor ChampionshipsCompetition·World Athletics Indoor Championships in TorunVenue·Torun, Poland, establishing a new championship record of 6.25 meters.
His dominance in 2025 was absolute, as he remained undefeated across all 16 competitions, clearing 6.00 meters or more in 14 of those events. He improved his own world record four times throughout 2025, culminating in a 6.30-meter jump at the World Athletics ChampionshipsCompetition·World Athletics Championships in TokyoVenue·Tokyo. For these achievements, he was recognized as the European Athlete of the Year for the third time and the World Athlete of the Year for the fourth time.
Following the StockholmVenue·Stockholm event, Duplantis is scheduled to marry his fiancée, Desiree Englandner.
Armand Duplantis competes in the men's pole vault at the Bauhaus-galan Diamond League in Stockholm. Bildbyran/IMAGO
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