Duplantis soars, bags Ostrava gold

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic (AFP) — Sweden’s Armand Duplantis won pole vault at the Golden Spike meet in Czech Republic while 17-year-old Australian Gout Gout improved his 200 meters personal best to 20.02 seconds on Wednesday.

Duplantis cleared 6.13m in the eastern Czech city of Ostrava before failing to get over 6.29m for what would have been a new world record nine days after setting his latest one at 6.28m.

The 25-year-old double Olympic champion was in a league of his own once again as second-placed Emmanouil Karalis of Greece did not even get close to clearing 6.02m.

“I feel pretty good about it. I can’t complain too much. Overall, I feel like I jumped really well,” Duplantis said after the tourney that was skipped by Filipino superstar Ernest John Obiena.

Obiena, the fourth-best vaulter in the world who finished seventh in the previous edition of the Ostrava meet last year, is struggling lately as he nurses a bad back. He, however, is coming off an impressive performance in Asia, where he conquered the Asian Athletics Championships title recently.

Gout Gout, who had run 200m in a wind-assisted 19.84 seconds in April, stormed to a convincing win in a new Australian record in his first race in Europe.

“I don’t feel any pressure. Because as soon as I step out on that track, it’s just me by myself and what I’ve got to do — my favorite thing, and that’s to run,” Gout said.

“So, I just go out there and run and nothing stops me from doing that.”

Reigning Olympic champion Grant Holloway lost to US compatriot Dylan Beard in the 110m hurdles for the second time in four days.

Holloway only finished fifth at the Diamond League in Paris last Friday as Beard took the second spot.

In Ostrava, Beard edged a slowing Holloway on the finish line with both clocking 13.13 seconds.

“This is not the way I execute the race,” Holloway said before admitting, “the time is all right.”

South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso won the women’s 800m in one minute and 57.16 seconds, the second fastest time this season.

In the 400m, Femke Bol, a triple medallist from the Paris Olympics last year, only took the third spot in her first start in the event this season, after focusing on 400m hurdles.