Olympics-Athletics-Sweden’s Duplantis soars to pole vault gold

© Reuters/DYLAN MARTINEZ Athletics – Men’s Pole Vault – Final

TOKYO (Reuters) – World record holder Mondo Duplantis of Sweden won the Olympic men’s pole vault gold medal on Tuesday after clearing a height of 6.02 metres on his first effort.

© Reuters/KAI PFAFFENBACH Athletics – Men’s Pole Vault – Final

The 21-year-old Duplantis, who finished with a silver medal behind world champion Sam Kendricks of the United States in 2019, remained the only man to fly over six metres this year.

© Reuters/ALEKSANDRA SZMIGIEL Athletics – Men’s Pole Vault – Final

American Chris Nilsen cleared the bar at 5.97 with his first attempt but could not match Duplantis and picked up the silver medal.

Brazil’s Thiago Braz, who won the title at his home Olympics in Rio de Janeiro five years ago, took bronze with his effort of 5.87.

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Mitch Phillips and Ed Osmond)

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