Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis continues to dominate the sport as he broke the men's pole vault world record for the eighth time. The remarkable achievement took place during the Diamond League season-opening meet held in Xiamen, China. Duplantis, who is only 24 years old, has shown incredible consistency and determination, breaking the world record in back-to-back outdoor meets.

The latest record-breaking jump occurred when Duplantis cleared an impressive height of 6.24 meters (20 feet, 5 inches). This marks a new milestone for the talented athlete and further solidifies his position as one of the greatest pole vaulters of all time. His previous outdoor meet, the Diamond League Final in Eugene, Oregon, saw Duplantis clear 6.23 meters on his 16th attempt at the height. Prior to that, he set the record at 6.22 meters on February 25, 2023.

During the winter indoor season, Duplantis faced some challenges and had to make six unsuccessful attempts at 6.24 meters. However, he showed immense perseverance and determination as he cleared the height on his first outdoor attempt of 2024 in Xiamen. Reflecting on his performance, Duplantis admitted that the indoor season didn't go as planned, but he brought a renewed focus and intensity from that experience, delivering outstanding results.

Duplantis now sets his sights on his next target - clearing 6.25 meters (20 feet, 6 inches) - a height that no man has ever achieved before. By surpassing this barrier, he would claim another historic milestone as the first man to reach this remarkable height in pole vaulting. In keeping with his previous record-breaking jumps, Duplantis has followed in the footsteps of Ukrainian legend Sergey Bubka, raising the bar by the minimum one centimeter for each of his world records. This strategy also grants him bonus money every time he breaks a record.

Sergey Bubka, who broke the outdoor world record 17 times and the indoor world record 18 times between 1984 and 1994, has set an exceptional standard in pole vaulting. However, World Athletics later opted to merge indoor and outdoor records into one. Duplantis is now on a trajectory to surpass even Bubka's impressive record-breaking spree.

In other noteworthy performances from the Diamond League meet in Xiamen, Ethiopian superstar Gudaf Tsegay, the reigning world champion in the 10,000m and world record holder in the 5000m, triumphed in the 1500m with a time of 3:50.30. This marks the third-fastest time ever recorded in this event. Close behind are Kenyan Faith Kipyegon (3:49.11) and Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba (3:50.07).

Meanwhile, Christian Coleman, former world champion in the men's 100m, won the event with a time of 10.13 seconds, prevailing against his teammate Fred Kerley in a headwind of 6 meters per second. Other notable athletes who showcased their talent in Xiamen include Olympic gold medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, who claimed victory in the women's 100m hurdles, and Australian sprinter Torrie Lewis, who emerged as the winner of the women's 200m, narrowly defeating world 100m champion Sha'Carri Richardson.

The Diamond League season has kicked off with a flurry of remarkable performances, and the excitement continues to build as athletes demonstrate their skills and break records. The next meet will take place in Suzhou, China, and will be broadcasted live on Peacock. The stage is set for more thrilling displays of athletic prowess as competitors strive to make their mark on the road to Paris.