Pole vault living legend Mondo Duplantis has broken his own world record for an astonishing ninth time.
The 24-year-old Swede cleared a height of 6.25 meters in his final attempt of the night, breaking his previous record of 6.24. That record-breaking leap came nearly a half hour after winning his second consecutive Olympic gold medal.
Duplantis' record served as the final chapter of an epic evening at Stade de France.
The quick hits:
- American Valarie Allman became the first U.S. woman in history to win back-to-back gold medals in the discus.
- Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson won her first Olympic gold medal, prevailing in the women’s 800m final in a time of 1:56.72.
- Kenyan Beatrice Chebet stormed down the home stretch to win gold in the women's 5000m, her first Olympic medal. Controversy ensued in the aftermath, as one-time silver medalist Faith Kipyegon was disqualified for an apparent shove, which momentarily took her off the podium. But an hour later, officials reinstated her, giving Kipyegon silver and Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan the bronze medal.
- World record holder Karsten Warholm, American Rai Benjamin and Brazilian Alison dos Santos stepped on the Paris Olympic track for the first time in the opening round of the men's 400m hurdles.
- Defending Olympic champion Katie Moon of the U.S. and reigning co-world champion Nina Kennedy of Australia began the women's pole vault competition, each breezing into the final.
- Women's 200m semifinals saw Gabby Thomas and her American teammates cruise, as was the case for Noah Lyles and company in the first round of the men's 200m.
Men's Pole Vault: Final
Sweden's Mondo Duplantis not only defended his Olympic title, winning gold in the men's pole vault final, but he broke his own world record for a ninth time by clearing a height of 6.25m.
That record-breaking leap came nearly a half hour after winning his second consecutive Olympic gold medal.
In winning gold, Duplantis edged silver-medalist Sam Kendricks of the U.S., with Kendricks securing his second Olympic medal after a bronze at the 2016 Rio Games — he missed the Tokyo Games with COVID. Greece's Emmanouil Karalis took bronze, the 24-year-old's first Olympic medal.
Duplantis owned the evening. At just 24, Duplantis has already tied American Bob Richards (1952, 1956) for the most gold medals in Olympic men’s pole vault history.
"The biggest dream since I was a kid was to break the world record at the Olympics," Duplantis said. "I’ve been able to do it in front of the most ridiculous crowd I’ve ever competed in front of." It’s one of those things that don’t really feel real, such an out-of-body experience."
For Duplantis, who was born in Lafayette, Louisiana but represents his Swedish mother’s native country, the gold medal highlights an awe-dropping season. He's now a two-time Olympic champion, two-time world champion, three-time Diamond League champion and NCAA indoor champion — the world record is the ultimate cherry on top.
Women's discus: Final
American Valarie Allman has won her second consecutive Olympic discus gold medal.
The 29-year-old from Hershey, Pennsylvania won Monday evening's final with a top throw of 69.50 meters, edging China's Feng Bin and Croatia's Sandra Elkasevic, who took silver and bronze, respectively.
“I don’t know how to put into words what I’m feeling," Allman said. "I feel so grateful for how tonight played out. I didn’t let myself believe that I was Olympic champion until it was all done. I think it’s been such a fight to show up and to be at our best and do it when it matters."
Allman’s gold medal sends her back to the sport’s mountaintop after falling to fellow American Laulauga Tausaga-Collins at 2023 Worlds. She joins Lillian Copeland (1928, 1932) as one of just two American women to earn multiple Olympic discus medals. Allman is the first to claim back-to-back golds.
Women's 800m: Final
Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson claimed her first Olympic gold medal, prevailing in the women’s 800m final in a time of 1:56.72.
Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma took silver, finishing just a half second behind Hodgkinson, and Kenyan Mary Moraa is the bronze medalist.
At just 19, Hodginkson was the silver medalist in this race at the Tokyo Games when American Athing Mu won gold. Now as a 22-year-old, Hodgkinson is a first-time Olympic champion and two-time medalist.
Mu, meanwhile, didn’t qualify to defend her Olympic title in Paris. She tripped and fell in the 800m final at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June, finishing outside of the crucial top three to reach Paris.
In her absence, it was Hodgkinson’s race to lose – and she dominated. Her gold snaps a streak of three consecutive major global races (Tokyo Olympics, 2022 Worlds, 2023 Worlds) in which the Brit took silver. Now, she’s struck gold.
"That was absolutely incredible," Hodgkinson said. "I've worked so hard over the last year and you could see how much it meant to me as I crossed the line. I can't believe I've finally done it. And to do it here, where better? The audience was absolutely incredible, it felt like a home crowd to me."
Another medal for Hodgkinson is Great Britain’s fifth medal in the women’s 800m, tying the U.S. for the second-most all time.
Women's 5000m: Final
With a tremendous close in the final stretch, Kenyan Beatrice Chebet sprinted by fellow Kenyan Faith Kipyegon to win gold in the women's 5000m with a time of 14:28.56, earning her first Olympic medal.
In the immediate aftermath, Kipyegon appeared to be the silver medalist. But moments after the finish line, officials announced that the Kenyan had been disqualified for allegedly shoving Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay, who did not earn a medal. That momentarily upgraded Sifan Hassan to silver and Italian Nadia Battocletti to bronze.
Then, in another twist, Kipyegon was reinstated and re-awarded her silver medal, bumping Battocletti from the podium and bringing Hassan to bronze. The silver for Kipyegon is her third Olympic medal, and Hassan's bronze is her fourth, across three events (1500m, 5000m, 10,000m).
Ahead of that drama, Chebet's finish in this race is one for the all-time Olympic highlight reels. She is a two-time world medalist in the 5000m (silver in 2022, bronze in 2023) but now reigns supreme globally for the first time in the event as an Olympic champion. In the process, she has taken down the reigning world champion in Kipyegon and defending Olympic champion in Hassan.
“I have no comment," Kipyegon said. "This is sports, and we accept the outcome. Have faith. I always participate in a good way. It was very hard, very hard for me. But you just accept the outcome.
I believe in myself. It was good race, a lot of pushing up and down, but I believed in myself and it is finished.
Kipyegon and Hassan will both compete again — Kipyegon in the women's 1500m, in which she won gold in 2016 and 2020, and Hassan in the 10,000m and marathon.
Women's 200m: Semifinals
Gold medal favorite Gabby Thomas sailed through her 200m semifinal in 21.86 seconds, booking a spot in her second consecutive Olympic final.
"I get to execute my strategy now," Thomas said after her race. "I'm executing everything according to plan. When I see the finish line in my sights, I just have that boost to get there."
U.S. teammates Brittany Brown and McKenzie Long advanced, as well, meaning all three Americans in the event will reach the final.
Those three will contend for medals with Paris 100m champion Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia, Great Britain's Daryll Neita and Dina Asher-Smith, Nigeria's Favour Ofili and Jessika Gbai of Cote D'ivoire.
Alfred won the 100m gold medal on Saturday and will now aim to complete the 100m-200m double, which Jamaica's Elaine Thompson-Herah accomplished at the 2016 Rio Olympics and again in Tokyo.
Men's 200m: Round 1
Just 23 hours after winning his first Olympic gold medal, Noah Lyles began his quest to become the first American man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to accomplish the Olympic 100m-200m double. Lyles has long been an even stronger 200m racer and is a three-time world champion at the distance. In his heat, his time of 20.19 seconds was enough to coast into Wednesday's semifinal alongside defending Olympic champion Andre De Grasse of Canada.
"[Last night] was the hardest battle I've had in my career," Lyles said. "I'm not going to lie, I came back sore. It took me a long time to release my body, since I still have a 200 to run."
U.S. teammate Kenny Bednarek also raced in last night's razor-thin 100m final and posted the top time of Monday's heats at 19.96 seconds.
"We had the 100 yesterday," Bednarek said. "But it's a brand-new day. Whatever happened yesterday stays there. That's the mentality I have. I'm here to get the job done, so that's what I'll do."
20-year-old Erriyon Knighton, who has often drawn Usain Bolt comparisons thanks to his 6-foot-3 frame, was right behind Bednarek in time at 19.97. Knighton is a legit medal contender after finishing fourth in Tokyo at just 17.
Botswana's Letsile Tebogo is also through to Wednesday's semis thanks to his 20.10-second heat. Tebogo took home 200m bronze at 2023 Worlds.
Men's 400m hurdles: Round 1
The men's 400m hurdles competition in Paris is loaded with intrigue. Norway's Karsten Warholm enters as the world record holder with a time of 45.94 seconds, set at the Tokyo Games with his gold medal win. U.S. star Rai Benjamin took silver in Tokyo but toppled Warholm at this summer's Monaco Diamond League event by .06 seconds. And Brazilian Alison dos Santos is a surefire medal contender after securing Tokyo bronze. His lifetime best of 46.29 is just 0.12 behind Benjamin's best.
“I was just trying to knock the rust off and feel the energy out there, because everyone has been saying it has been crazy," Benjamin said.
I just want to win. I don’t really care about the time. The gold medal has been elusive to me this whole time.
Put together, the top 15 times in history all have been recorded in the past 36 months, all by one of those three athletes.
All three men ran in the first round of the men's 400m hurdles action in Paris on Monday, moving onto the semis. Warholm's time of 47.57 led the field, with Benjamin also advancing at 48.82 and dos Santos at 48.75. American CJ Allen also qualified for the semis, while fellow U.S. athlete Trevor Bassitt did not, so he'll need to compete in the repechage round on Tuesday. Need a repechage explainer? Here you go.
Women's 400m: Round 1
Reigning world champion and Tokyo silver medalist Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic remained at the top of the women's 400m game, posting the top heat time of the day: 49.42 seconds. She sailed into the semifinal alongside 2023 world silver medalist Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland and European runner-up Rhasidat Adeleke of Ireland.
"It's the best track," Paulino said of the purple Paris Olympic track. "And the crowd was amazing. You could clearly see the difference between Tokyo and Paris."
Defending Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of The Bahamas pulled up during her heat but managed to walk across the finish line, which means she'll race in the repechages, although her health is in question. This continues a tough two days on the track for The Bahamas, after defending men's 400m Olympic champion Steven Gardiner withdrew on Sunday.
Americans Alexis Holmes and Aaliyah Butler both moved onto the semis, but Kendall Ellis' time of 51.16 seconds wasn't enough to qualify, so she'll need to line up in Tuesday's repechage round.
Additional Events
Men's discus Round 1: Lithuanian world record holder Mykolas Alekna posted the day's top time in the first round of the men's discus in Paris. The 21-year-old breezed into the final alongside Australian Matthew Denny, who fell just .05 meters shy of a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, plus 10 others. No Americans qualified for the Olympic final.
Women's pole vault Round 1: Defending Olympic champion Katie Moon of the U.S. and reigning co-world champion Nina Kennedy of Australia opened the women's pole vault competition, each advancing for the final with a total field of 20 due to tiebreakers. 2024 world indoor champion Molly Caudery of Great Britain stunningly did not move on.
"I felt good, and my mind has been in a good place," Caudery said. "It was just one of those days. I'm not 100% sure what's gone on yet, but I'll get to the bottom of it. I’m really sorry to everyone back home."
Women's 200m Repechages: Canadian Jacqueline Madogo posted the top repechage time on Monday in the women's 200m, advancing with a time of 22.58 seconds. She joins a list of four others who advanced to to the semis. 18-year-old high schooler Adaejah Hodge, running for the British Virgin Islands, is also through to the semis.
Men's 3000m steeplechase Round 1: American Kenneth Rooks ran a spectacular 8:24.95 in his 3000m steeplechase heat to qualify for the final on Wednesday. He'll be joined by world record holder Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia, defending Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco and 13 others. In a gripping moment, Kenyan Amos Serem forgot to clear one of the hurdles and had to turn around to leap over it. He somehow managed to storm back and finish sixth, qualifying via a referee's decision, since he claimed to be pushed down. He ran the final lap in 57.8 seconds.