In the early hours of June 8, 2026, at the Diamond League Stockholm men's pole vault, world record holder Armand Duplantis suffered a shock defeat on home soil, ending his nearly three-year, 1,052‑day, 40‑competition unbeaten run.
Australian Kurtis Marschall won with a clearance of 5.90 m, becoming the only athlete in the past three years to beat Duplantis twice (his other victory came at the 2023 Monaco Diamond League). Duplantis and French athlete Thierry tied for third at 5.80 m.
This was Duplantis's first loss since the 2023 Diamond League Monaco meeting. Addressing the defeat, he admitted: "Marschall beat me — I lost fair and square, no excuses."He also admitted todaythat he was a bit distracted and off form; he really wanted to win in front of his family and fans, but in the end it didn't go his way, facing thehuge expectations — the pressure on him was obvious.。On the bright side, Duplantis is set to enter marriage next week. There is a Swedish saying: "Either you are lucky in competition or lucky in love," and this time Duplantis has chosen the latter.While wishing him well, we also hope he can regain his form and once again push the limits of the sky!
Images: Internet/ Visual：Max
