Mondo Duplantis in Clermont-Ferrand (© AFP / Getty Images)
Mondo Duplantis soared 6.02m and attempted a world record at the All Star Perche in Clermont-Ferrand on Thursday (22), while Molly Caudery joined him in setting a world pole vault lead as she cleared a PB of 4.86m at the Perche Elite Tour Rouen on Saturday (24).
They will now look to replicate that strong form from the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meetings when they compete at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 next weekend.
After winning in Astana with a 5.80m clearance and in Uppsala with 5.92m, Sweden’s Olympic and world champion Duplantis opened his competition in Clermont-Ferrand at 5.72m, going clear on his first attempt. He passed at 5.82m and cleared 5.92m at the first time of asking.
He then achieved his first six metre-plus clearance of the year, soaring over 6.02m on his first try, before attempting 6.24m – a height that would have added a centimetre to the world record he set in Eugene in September.
Back at the meeting where he set a world record of 6.22m a year ago, Duplantis knocked off the bar on each of his three attempts at 6.24m but his second attempt was close.
Finishing second on countback was Thibaut Collet of France, who delighted the home crowd with his PB of 5.92m, a height also managed by USA’s two-time world champion Sam Kendricks.
Canada’s Alysha Newman won the women’s event with a national record clearance of 4.83m. With first-time clearances up to that height, she won on countback ahead of USA’s Bridget Williams, also with a PB performance.
Two days later in Rouen, Caudery added a centimetre to the world lead she set to win the British title in Birmingham a week earlier, clearing 4.86m on her first attempt.
The Commonwealth Games silver medallist opened her campaign at 4.53m and managed that first time. She needed all three attempts to make it over 4.63m but found her rhythm again at 4.73m and only needed one try at that height. After a single failure at 4.80m, she decided to move straight to 4.86m and achieved that PB height on her first go.
She then had three attempts at a national record height of 4.91m.
Finland’s world bronze medallist Wilma Murto was second and Williams was third as they both cleared 4.80m.
Kendricks claimed victory in the men’s competition, clearing 5.93m to triumph over his compatriot Chris Nilsen with 5.83m.
