Armand Duplantis Makes History with Fourth Consecutive European Championship Gold in Pole Vault

Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis cemented his legacy at the 2026 European Championships in Birmingham by winning his fourth consecutive gold medal in the event. Clearing a championship record height of 6.15 meters, Duplantis became the first athlete to secure four European Championship pole vault titles. Despite facing a moment of tension after failing his initial attempt at 6.00 meters, which he cleared on his second try after switching poles, he maintained composure to ultimately claim victory. His main challenger, Emmanouil Karalis, was unable to clear 6.20 meters, leaving Duplantis to celebrate the win.

Displaying personal strength, Duplantis dedicated his triumph to his late grandmother, Ingrid Hedlund, who passed away just a month prior at age 92. He opted against attempting his world record height of 6.31 meters, citing recent challenges and the cold weather conditions in Birmingham.

This gold was one of two for Sweden at the championships, alongside Andreas Almgren’s 10,000-meter win. Sweden narrowly missed matching their record from the 2006 European Championships, finishing with two golds, one silver, and two bronzes, and placing ninth in the medal standings. Coach Kajsa Bergqvist praised the Swedish team’s overall performance as "one of our best EMs ever," despite a series of near misses marked by five fourth-place finishes.

Duplantis’s historic achievement not only marks a personal milestone but also contributes to a memorable campaign for Swedish athletics on the European stage.