★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★
★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★
≡ GYULAI MEMORIAL ≡
Any time Swedish superstar Mondo Duplantis is in a meet, a world record is a possibility and he set his 13th career world mark in the men’s vault at 6.29 m (20-7 1/2) at the Istvan Gyulai Memorial at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest (HUN). It was one of two world-leading performances at the meet:
● Men/Vault: 6.29 m (20-7 1/2), Mondo Duplantis (SWE) ~ World Record
● Men/Hammer: 83.18 m (272-11), Bence Halasz (HUN)
Duplantis had already cleared world marks of 6.27 m (20-6 3/4) indoors in February and 6.28 m (20-7 1/4) in Stockholm in June and had tried 6.29 m at three meets since, missing all nine tries.
In Budapest, he was pressed by Greek Emmanouil Karalis, coming off a brilliant 6.08 m (19-11 1/4) win at his national championships, now no. 4 all-time. Both cleared 6.02 m (19-9) and then the bar went to 6.11 m (20-0 1/2); Karalis missed twice, but Duplantis got over; Karalis decided to stop
Duplantis then went to 6.29 m, clearing on his second attempt for the record. Two-time World Champion Sam Kendricks of the U.S. finished fifth at 5.72 m (18-9 1/4).
In the hammer, Hungary’s Olympic runner-up Bence Halasz scored a turnabout win over Olympic and World Champion Ethan Katzberg (CAN) and got a world-leading 83.18 m (272-11) mark along the way, extending his lead in the fifth round. Katzberg was second at 81.88 m (268-8).
In the sprints, Olympic silver winner Kishane Thompson (JAM) won the 100 m in 9.95 (wind: -0.4 m/s), ahead of Abdul-Rasheed Saminu (GHA: 10.01), with American Ronnie Baker fifth in 10.05. But the star was Jamaica’s Brian Levell in the 200 m with a lifetime best of 19.69 (-0.4), now no. 3 on the world list for 2025! South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk, the 400 m world-record holder, was second at 20.07.
Zambia’s Olympic bronzer Muzala Samukonga won the men’s 400 n in 44.11, just ahead of Jereem Richards (TTO: 44.14) and American Khaleb McRae (44.16).
The men’s 800 was another fast race, won in a lifetime best of 1:42.96 by Kenyan Laban Chepkwony, the 2025 Kenya nationals runner-up, ahead of Mark English (IRL: 1:43.37). Astoundingly, Chepkwony’s mark brings him to just no. 14 on the 2025 world list! Fellow Kenyan Mathew Kipsang won a sprint to the finish of the 3,000 m in 7:33.23, no. 2 in the world for 2025, ahead of Eduardo Herrera (MEX: 7:33.58).
World leader Cordell Tinch of the U.S. won the men’s 110 m hurdles in 13.20, beating Tokyo 2020 Olympic champ Hansle Parchment (JAM: 13.24) and Americans Eric Edwards (13.26) and Jamal Britt (13.32), with Freddie Crittenden sixth in 13.39.
After the disappointment of not making the U.S. team, two-time World Champion Joe Kovacs won the men’s shot at 22.33 m (73-3 1/4), beating former World Champion Tom Walsh (NZL: 21.52 m/70-7 1/4). Americans Roger Steen and Payton Otterdahl finished 5-6 at 21.09 m (69-2 1/2) and 21.05 m (69-0 3/4).
The women’s 100 went to Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (CIV) in 10.97 (-0.4), beating Jamaicans Tina Clayton (10.99), two-time World 200 m champ Shericka Jackson (11.00) and five-time 100 World champ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (11.07). Jacious Sears of the U.S. was fifth, also in 11.07.
Olympic bronze winner Georgia Hunter Bell (GBR) took the women’s 1,500 m in 3:58.25, a clear winner over Maria Perez (ESP: 3:39.22) and American Hunter Maclean (3:59.35). Kenyan distance star Beatrice Chebet was scheduled to run, but did not.
Dutch star Nadine Visser won the 100 m hurdles in 12.43 (-0.4), well ahead of Americans Alia Armstrong (12.59) and Christina Clemons (12.74). World Champion Femke Bol (NED) won the women’s 400 m hurdles in 52.24, a time only she and Olympic champ Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the U.S. have bettered this year. Olympic fourth-placer Jasmine Jones of the U.S. was third in 54.61.
World Indoor gold medalist Claire Bryant of the U.S. got another win in the women’s long jump at 6.71 m (22-0 1/4), ahead of Ackelia Smith (JAM: 6.67 m/21-10 3/4) and Americans Quanesha Burks (6.64 m/21-9 1/2) and Monae Nichols (6.59 m/21-7 1/2).
Next up is the Diamond League in Poland on Friday and Saturday.
¶
★ Receive our exclusive, weekday TSX Recap by e-mail by clicking here.
★ Sign up a friend to receive the TSX Recap by clicking here.
★ Please consider a donation here to keep this site going.
For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!
