Duplantis breaks world record, China earns first medals in Tokyo

TOKYO - The third day of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo produced five gold medals on Monday, highlighted by Sweden's Armand Duplantis clearing 6.30 meters to break the men's pole vault world record for the 14th time in his career.

China also celebrated its first medals of the Tokyo worlds as Zhao Jie and Zhang Jiale claimed silver and bronze in the women's hammer throw.

Olympic champion Duplantis once again proved unstoppable. Greece's Emmanouil Karalis secured silver with 6.00 meters, while Australia's Kurtis Marschall equaled his personal best of 5.95 to take bronze.

After clinching the title with a first-time clearance at 6.15 meters, Duplantis missed twice at 6.30 before soaring over on his third attempt to set his fourth world record of the season, sending the National Stadium crowd into raptures.

In the women's hammer throw, Canada's Olympic and world champion Camryn Rogers dominated with a winning mark of 80.51 meters. Zhao, the 2024 Olympic bronze medalist, threw a personal best of 77.60 to secure silver, while Zhang, 18, impressed on her World Championships debut with 77.10 for bronze.

"My goal was simply to stand on the podium," Zhao said. "From Olympic bronze to world silver, the change in medal color shows my growth. I hope in 2027, at the Beijing World Championships, I can achieve another breakthrough together with my younger teammate Zhang Jiale."

The men's marathon earlier in the day delivered a major upset, with no Kenyan or Ethiopian runner finishing in the top 15. Tanzania's Alphonce Felix Simbu edged Germany's Amanal Petros in a photo finish, both clocking 2:09:48, with Simbu prevailing by just 0.03 seconds to win Tanzania's first-ever World Championships gold. Italy's Iliass Aouani took bronze five seconds behind. China's He Jie placed 26th in 2:14:52, followed by Yang Shaohui and Wu Xiangdong in 30th and 31st.

Elsewhere, New Zealand's Geordie Beamish stunned two-time defending champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco to win the men's 3,000m steeplechase, with Kenya's Edmund Serem taking bronze.

In the women's 100m hurdles final, 23-year-old Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland struck gold, ahead of Nigeria's Tobi Amusan and America's Grace Stark.