Duplantis Achieves Seventh World Record In Pole Vault; Tsegay Nearly Breaks 14-Minute Barrier In Women's 5,000 Meters Among Slew Of Sunday Highlights

By David Woods for DyeStat

EUGENE, Ore. – It was as good a two-day track and field as we will ever see – on U.S. soil, in Europe, in Asia, on Mars. The way things were going, one wondered if Shericka Jackson would run 21-flat.

The 200-meter world record did not happen in the climactic race of the Nike Prefontaine Classic.

Yet, with two world records already Sunday, seven world-leading marks, 13 world leaders and four American records over two days, is it any wonder the impossible seemed inevitable?

Pole vaulter Armand "Mondo" Duplantis broke the world record again with a clearance of 20 feet, 5.25 inches (6.23 meters), and Gudaf Tsegay nearly broke the once-unthinkable 14-minute barrier in the 5,000 meters at the Diamond League final.

Ticketed attendance was 12,355 at Hayward Field.

(See separate DyeStat story on American records by Athing Mu in the women’s 800 and Grant Fisher in the men’s 3,000, won by Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Both races featured world-leading times.)

Duplantis had previously raised the world record six times – including 14 months ago here in the World Athletics Championships – so such a vault was plausible.

But for Tsegay to clock 14:00.21?

Consider that would have been nearly a men’s world record as recently as 1954. Emil Zatopek’s time of 13:57.2 broke a 12-year-old record of 13:58.2 held by Sweden’s Gunder Hagg.

Tsegay, a 26-year-old Ethiopian, broke the women’s record of 14:05.20 set June 9 by Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon in Paris.

Midday sun – albeit at 73 degrees – was not optimal for such a record attempt.

“Even though conditions weren’t perfect, we thought we could do it,” Tsegay said.

The pacemakers delivered, and so did she. Times were 2:48.08 and 5:37.24 over the first and second kilometers, and compatriot Birke Haylom reached 3,000 meters in 8:26.03. Haylom ultimately dropped out.

Tsegay reached 4,000 meters in 11:16.89 – a step ahead of Beatrice Chebet – and separated from the Kenyan before hitting the bell lap in 12:55.7. After that, it was a race to sub-14:00.

Chebet was second in 14:05.92, just outside Kipyegon’s former record, for No. 3 in history.

Tsegay said she was “really angry” to come away with one medal from the World Championships in Budapest. She won the 10,000, but was 13th in the 5,000, won by Kipyegon. Tsegay was 5,000 World champion in 2022 and bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

It was Tsegay’s second world record, following a 3:53.09 in the indoor 1,500 in February 2021. Her previous 5,000 best was 14:12.29 on July 23 in London.

Duplantis has long been breaking world records, one centimeter at time since February 2020.

He attributed his latest to a condensed format, fast surface, favorable wind and energy from the crowd. He nicked the bar, but it stayed. Hayward Magic.

“I don’t think I could have jumped 6.24m today. I couldn’t have made it,” said Duplantis, a Louisiana-born 23-year-old who represents Sweden. “That’s a weird game you have to juggle. By the end of my career, I hope to definitely have a bar out there that is the highest I can possibly achieve.”

He had first-try clearances at 18-5.25 (5.62m), 19-1 (5.82m) and 19-9 (6.02m). Then the bar went all the way to 20-5.25 (6.23m).

It was Duplantis’ third Diamond League trophy. Ernest John Obiena of the Philippines was second at 19-1 (5.82m) and Sam Kendricks third at 18-9.25 (5.72m).

In other men’s highlights:

>> Joe Kovacs upset Ryan Crouser in the shot put, 75-2.75 (22.93m) to 75-2 (22.91m). Crouser, the World and Olympic champion, nearly broke his own world record in Budapest despite two blood clots in his leg. Crouser threw 75 feet (22.86m) in the final round in a bid to overtake Kovacs, the bronze medalist at Worlds. Crouser said it was “phenomenal” for Kovacs to be performing as he is at age 34. “Had a lot of adversity this year that really wasn’t planned – not that it ever is,” Crouser said. “Wasn’t expecting the issues that I had, but I feel like I battled through it really well.”

>> In the absence of Noah Lyles, the 200 meters loomed as an All-American duel between Olympic silver medalist Kenny Bednarek and World silver medalist Erriyon Knighton. Instead, Olympic champion Andre De Grasse of Canada decisively won in 19.76. Bednarek was second in 19.95, Knighton third in 19.97. De Grasse, 28, who was sixth at Budapest, won his first Diamond League trophy. “Next year’s a big year with the Olympics, so I wanted to just try to give it all to try to see where I’m at going into next season,” he said.

>> In a 110 hurdles field with five Americans, Olympic champion Hansle Parchment of Jamaica came from behind to win in a world-leading 12.93. Grant Holloway, a three-time World champion, edged U.S. teammate Daniel Roberts for second, 13.06 to 13.07. Parchment said Holloway has “a massive, ridiculous start” but that their rivalry is good for the hurdles.

>> Kenya’s Emmanel Wanyonyi and Canada’s Marco Arop became the first of 2023 to go under 1:43 for 800 meters, with 1:42.80 and 1:42.85, respectively. It was a reversal of their 1-2 finish from Budapest. It was PB and Pre record for Wanyonyi, Canadian record for Arop and PBs for Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati (1:43.40) in third and France’s Yanis Meziane (1:43.94) in fourth. U.S champion Bryce Hoppel, a Budapest finalist, was sixth in 1:44.63.

In other women’s highlights:

>> Shericka Jackson completed a sprint double with a dominating 200 win in 21.57.  Florence Griffth-Joyner’s world record of 21.34 will last at least until 2024. “I didn’t get it this year. As I said, I’m OK. As you can see, I’m happy,” said Jackson, a 29-year-old Jamaican who has three of the four fastest times ever. Marie-Josee' Ta Lou of Ivory Coast was second in 22.10.

>> The 100 hurdles featured the Olympic champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn; World champion, Danielle Williams; world leader, Keni Harrison; world record-holder, Tobi Amusan, and U.S. champion, Nia Ali. Amusan, a Nigerian who won an NCAA title representing UTEP, reprised her 2022 Worlds win with a time of 12.33. Camacho-Quinn was second in 12.38 and Harrison third in 12.44. “I said this is God’s track . . . I came here, I’m like, ‘This is my track. I’m going to dominate,’” Amusan said. “And God did just that.”

>> Femke Bol and Shamier Little reprised their 1-2 finish in the 400 hurdles from Budapest, with the Dutchwoman pulling away for an emphatic Pre record of 51.98. It was Bol’s third Diamond League trophy. Little, ahead through eight hurdles, was far back in 53.45.

>> Americans Valarie Allman and Laulauga Tausaga-Collins reversed their Budapest finish, too, with Allman throwing 225-3 (68.66m) to Tausaga-Collins’ 224-3 (68.36m).

>> Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers made a world-leading 6-8 (2.03m) on their second and third tries, respectively. So, the trophy went to Mahuchikh, the world champion, for the second year in a row.

>> Ivana Vuleta of Serbia rallied in the sixth round to win her third consecutive Diamond League title in the long jump and fifth of her career. Vuleta, 33, produced a wind-legal leap of 22-5.75 (6.85m) on her final attempt to match the third-round effort of Nigerian athlete Ese Brume, then prevailed as a result of a better second jump of 22-2.50 (6.77m) from the fifth round.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter on @DavidWoods007.