Emmanouil Karalis reacts in the men’s pole vault final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Monday. [Ashley Landis/AP]
Greek pole vaulter Emmanouil Karalis won silver at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, clearing six meters in the final.
The gold medal went to Sweden’s Armand Duplantis, who set his 14th world record with a clearance of 6.30 meters and capturing his third world championship.
Karalis secured second place after two failed attempts at 5.95m left him briefly in fourth. He cleared the height on his third attempt before going over six meters, confirming his place on the podium.
Australian Kurtis Marschall matched his personal best with a jump of 5.95m to win a second world bronze medal.
Duplantis, who grew up in Louisiana but competes for his mother’s native Sweden, easily won his 49th straight meet, then kept the crowd around for another drama-rich half-hour to watch him go for the record.
He cleared his top height on his third and final try – the bar still bouncing but not falling as he leaped off the mat to start the celebration.
He gets $70,000 for the victory plus a $100,000 bonus for setting the record at the world championships. [Kathimerini, AP, Reuters]
