Two-time Olympic pole vault champion Armand Duplantis is looking to pack more power into his jump with a new 22-step approach, a longer run-up than he previously used to break the world record multiple times since 2020.
Sweden’s Duplantis, who set the world record for the 15th time when he cleared 6.31 metres in March, used to have a 20-step approach.
“Tried 22 steps for the first time in the indoor season, which was really nice,” the 26-year-old told reporters on Friday, a day before the season’s first Diamond League meeting in Shaoxing.
“I feel like I hadn’t really made a change in basically any part of the jump... since five or six years.”
Duplantis said he was looking forward to developing his new technique, with the World Championships set for next year, followed by the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“We’ll probably try 22 steps again tomorrow, see how it feels, because I’m still very new to it,” he added.
Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, who has three Olympic golds and the world record in the 1,500m, is also looking to ease into the season, competing at the 5,000m event on Saturday.
Kipyegon took the silver medal in the 5,000m at the Paris Games and was the 2023 world champion at that distance.
“It’s really to see how the body is, and going towards the final of the Diamond League,” the 32-year-old said.
Published on May 15, 2026