BERLIN — Armand Duplantis, the pole vaulting sensation, marked his return from a winter hiatus in style by setting a new meeting record with a jump of 6.10 meters during the ISTAF Indoor meet in Berlin on Friday.

The 25-year-old Swedish athlete aimed to surpass his world outdoor record, which he achieved in Chorzów, Poland last August. He made two attempts to clear 6.27 meters but found them to be a challenge on this occasion. Last year, Duplantis broke the outdoor record three times, including a remarkable jump of 6.25 meters that earned him a gold medal at the Olympics in Paris. He later raised the outdoor record by an additional centimeter, reaching 6.26 meters on August 25 in Poland.

Duplantis made the 6.10 meter leap on his second try, attributing his initial hiccup to “rust,” since this was his first competition since September. His jump currently stands as the best mark indoors in 2023.

“It was a good season-opener,” he stated. “In your first event, there’s often a bit of rust to shake off, but the energy from everyone here really helped me push through.”

The event, held in a sold-out arena with a capacity of 12,000 alongside the Spree River, saw fans rallying enthusiastically for Duplantis at every jump.

“I do my best to harness the energy that the crowd provides,” he explained. “However, in the heat of the moment, the main focus is on clearing the bar. Despite that, you absolutely feel the atmosphere — the crowd’s energy and cheers are incredibly significant; they motivate you immensely.”

Known as “Mondo,” Duplantis has set the world outdoor record 10 times throughout his career, consistently raising it by a single centimeter each time. He has also established the world indoor record on five occasions.

In other notable performances at the meet, Emmanouíl Karalís captured the crowd’s attention as well, achieving a jump of 5.94 meters on his second attempt, which set a new Greek record.