XIAMEN, China: Armand Duplantis added a centimeter to his own pole vault world record after clearing 6.24 meters at the season-opening Diamond League meet on Saturday.

Sweden’s Duplantis said before the meet he never puts limits on himself and was always capable of a record.

The Olympic and two-time world champion proved that with his eighth world record. He surpassed his 6.23 from last September at the Diamond League meet in Eugene, Oregon.

“This is my first time in China and it’s exciting to get my season going,” Duplantis said.

Known as Mondo, Duplantis entered the competition at 5.62 meters and cleared 5.82 and 6 meters before attempting the record and clearing it at his first try.

Sam Kendricks placed second at 5.82, followed by Huang Bokai at 5.72.

The first night of the outdoor season finished off with Christian Coleman winning the 100 meters in 10.13 seconds from fellow American Fred Kerley, who placed second in 10.17. Ackeem Blake of Jamaica was third in 10.20.

Gudaf Tsegay, who holds the world record in the women’s 5,000 meters, ran the third-fastest time in the history of the women’s 1,500 to win in 3 minutes, 50.30 seconds. Her fellow Ethiopians Birke Haylom and Worknesh Mesele were second and third.

In an upset in the women’s 200, 19-year-old Australian Torrie Lewis beat 100-meter world champion Sha’Carri Richardson in a tight finish.

Lewis, running in the outside lane, won in 22.96 seconds, edging Richardson at 22.99.

World champion Marileidy Paulino won the women’s 400 in 50.08 seconds, holding off Natalia Kaczmarek and Britton Wilson.

Olympic gold medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn won the women’s 100 hurdles in 12.45 seconds, edging Devynne Charlton and Cyrena Samba-Mayela.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – Associated Press)