MONDO DUPLANTIS WITHDRAWS FROM LONDON DIAMOND LEAGUE WITH THIGH INJURY
Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, the celebrated pole vaulter from Sweden, encountered an unfortunate setback as he announced his withdrawal from the London Diamond League competition due to a recurring thigh issue. This decision was a significant blow for the athlete who has a strong track record in the sport.
During the event, Duplantis successfully cleared a height of 5.60 meters but faced difficulties at 5.85 meters. He managed to make a commendable jump of 5.95 meters on his first attempt at the London Stadium; nonetheless, the injury twinge from an earlier competition in Budapest had been a looming concern. With his left leg heavily wrapped, he opted not to attempt the next height of 6.04 meters.
Duplantis commented on the situation, revealing, “I felt it a few days ago after the competition in Budapest. At first, it felt completely okay on the track, but then it came right away and got much worse on the next jump. But I knew I couldn’t jump after the 5.95 attempt.” It’s noteworthy that he downplayed the severity of his injury.
In his absence, American pole vaulter Sam Kendricks clinched the victory by clearing 5.95 meters. Despite his failure to make the next height of 6.04 meters, Kendricks secured the win due to his earlier clear attempts, ultimately surpassing Duplantis. The competition also saw Australia’s Kurtis Marschall and Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis accompany Kendricks in the top ranks, both clearing 5.95 meters after facing earlier failures.
This recent event marks a challenging phase for Duplantis, who has only managed to triumph in three of the seven pole vault competitions held in the Diamond League this year, a sharp contrast to his previously dominating performance.
