Mondo Duplantis in Nanjing (© Getty Images)
The likes of Mondo Duplantis, Grant Holloway and Jakob Ingebrigtsen added to their ever-growing medal collection on Saturday (22) at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25.
Duplantis picked up his third world indoor pole vault title, doing so with a winning vault of 6.15m. Holloway also claimed his third world indoor crown, winning the 60m hurdles in 7.42. Ingebrigtsen's 3000m triumph marked his first world indoor title, adding to the numerous global golds he has earned outdoors.
Ethiopia's 3000m winner Freweyni Hailu and 60m champion Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland collected their second world indoor crowns, adding to the ones they won in 2024 and 2022 respectively.
Some new faces also emerged, though, as the likes of triple jump champion Leyanis Perez Hernandez, pole vault winner Marie-Julie Bonnin and 400m champions Amber Anning and Chris Bailey earned their first individual major international gold medals on a day where nine titles were decided.
Duplantis holds on for world indoor pole vault title No.3
As far as Mondo Duplantis's competition record goes, this one was hard fought as Greece's Emmanouil Karalis matched the Swede up to and including 6.05m. Duplantis registered his first failure at 6.10m, but Karalis was unable to capitalise. Duplantis duly got over it on his second try and went on to clear 6.15m, while Karalis went no higher, securing silver with a national record of 6.05m. Sam Kendricks took bronze with 5.90m.
Result: 1 Mondo Duplantis (SWE) 6.15m, 2 Emmanouil Karalis (GRE) 6.05m, 3 Sam Kendricks (USA) 5.90m
Peerless Holloway extends indoor winning streak with 60m hurdles triumph
After some close races through the rounds, USA's Grant Holloway was ultimately a clear winner in the 60m hurdles final, taking gold in 7.42 ahead of France's Wilhem Belocian (7.54). There was joy for the host nation, too, as China's Liu Junxi earned bronze in 7.55.
Result: 1 Grant Holloway (USA) 7.42, 2 Wilhem Belocian (FRA) 7.54, 3 Liu Junxi (CHN) 7.55
One gold down, one to go for Ingebrigtsen
Jakob Ingebrigtsen won his first world indoor title, and the first half of what he hopes will be a distance double, taking the 3000m gold ahead of Ethiopia's Berihu Aregawi. The Norwegian bided his time, allowing Aregawi to wind up the pace on the closing laps. Ingebrigtsen tried to take command on the final lap, but Aregawi dug in. So Ingebrigtsen waited until the final bend and sprinted to victory in 7:46.09. Aregawi took silver ahead of Australia's Ky Robinson.
Result: 1 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 7:46.09, 2 Berihu Aregawi (ETH) 7:46.25, 3 Ky Robinson (AUS) 7:47.09
Hailu's move up pays dividends
A year after taking 1500m gold in Glasgow, Ethiopia's Freweyni Hailu took the title here over double the distance, winning the 3000m in 8:37.21. Jessica Hull, who had controlled the pace for most of the race, was beaten to the line by Shelby Houlihan in the dust-up for silver and bronze.
Result: 1 Freweyni Hailu (ETH) 8:37.21, 2 Shelby Houlihan (USA) 8:38.26, 3 Jessica Hull (AUS) 8:38.28
Kambundji strikes again to take 60m title
Mujinga Kambundji proved once more that she knows how to peak when it matters. The Swiss sprinter caught the fast-starting Italian Zaynab Dosso to take gold in 7.04. Dosso, the world leader and European indoor champion, held on to take silver in 7.06 ahead of Patrizia van der Weken (7.07), who became the first athlete from Luxembourg to win a World Championships medal, indoors or outdoors.
Result: 1 Mujinga Kambundji (SUI) 7.04, 2 Zaynab Dosso (ITA) 7.06, 3 Patrizia van der Weken (LUX) 7.07
Bailey leads US medal sweep at 400m
Chris Bailey ran a perfectly executed race to win over two laps of the track. Teammate Brian Faust led through the first lap before Bailey took charge and opened up a clear gap, winning in 45.08. Faust held on for silver (45.47) ahead of fast-finishing US teammate Jacory Patterson (45.54). It's just the second time in history that one nation has swept the medals at the World Indoors, following Ethiopia's 1-2-3 in the women's 1500m in 2022.
Result: 1 Chris Bailey (USA) 45.08, 2 Brian Faust (USA) 45.47, 3 Jacory Patterson (USA) 45.54
Redemption for 400m winner Anning
Two weeks after a lane violation prevented her participation at the European Indoor Championships, Britain's Amber Anning rebounded to take victory over 400m on the global stage. Despite being barged at the end of the first lap, she regained composure and came through just before the line to win in 50.60 from USA's Alexis Holmes (50.63). Norway's Henriette Jaeger took bronze in 50.92.
Result: 1 Amber Anning (GBR) 50.60, 2 Alexis Holmes (USA) 50.63, 3 Henriette Jaeger (NOR) 50.92
One jump and done for triple jump winner Perez Hernandez
After earning bronze at the 2023 World Championships and silver at the 2024 World Indoors, Cuba's Leyanis Perez Hernandez finally earned her first global gold, taking the triple jump title with a world-leading 14.93m. Much like the men's winner Andy Diaz Hernandez on the first day, Perez Hernandez registered just one valid attempt, her first-round effort standing up as the best mark of the day. Teammate Liadagmis Povea took silver (14.57m) ahead of European indoor champion Ana Peleteiro-Compaore (14.29m).
Result: 1 Leyanis Perez Hernandez (CUB) 14.93m, 2 Liadagmis Povea (CUB) 14.57m, 3 Ana Peleteiro-Compaore (ESP) 14.29m
Bonnin takes surprise pole vault victory
Two weeks ago, Marie-Julie Bonnin was overcome with emotions when she took bronze at the European Indoor Championships. So the French pole vaulter was even more stunned today when she won the world indoor title. Her clearance at 4.75m sealed the deal as no one else managed to get over that height. Tina Sutej and Angelica Moser took silver and bronze respectively, both clearing 4.70m.
Result: 1 Marie-Julie Bonnin (FRA) 4.75m, 2 Tina Sutej (SLO) 4.70m, 3 Angelica Moser (SUI) 4.70m
