Duplantis still going up, breaks World Junior record

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Armand Duplantis is climbing world pole vaulting like the rungs of a ladder. 

The high school junior from Lafayette LA vaulted 19-4.25 (5.90m) on Saturday at the 90th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays and defeated 2015 world champion Shawn Barber.

Duplantis broke the world junior (Under-20) record. As of this weekend, only 35 men in history have vaulted higher than the 17-year-old. 

Duplantis went six inches higher than the winner of the collegiate pole vault competition. He missed Barber's stadium record by a half-inch, in part because he stopped after his third-attempt make at 19-4.25. He also broke the high school national record by a foot -- exceeding Chris Nilsen's 2016 record by 11 1/2 inches.

He has PR'd five times in seven meets in 2017, including four of the last five. He has cleared 18-8.50 or better in five straight meets and now owns the 11 best vaults in high school history.

There was also new stadium record in the women's pole vault, as Jenn Suhr cleared 15-6.50 (4.73m) for the win. 

The other big news came in the men's mile, where Canyon TX senior Sam Worley nearly crashed the four-minute barrier. Worley ran to the lead and won the race in 4:00.61. He closed in 56.30, a good indication that he was capable of joining the exclusive list of sub-four high school milers if the pace had been faster.

Reed Brown of Southlake Carroll TX ran 4:03.23 for fourth place, right behind Olympian Leo Manzano (4:02.02).

Running in the same heat, UTEP’s Tobi Amusan (12.72) edged out Longhorn Rushelle Burton (12.80) to take home the win as both of them broke the Texas Relays collegiate record in the 100-meter hurdles.

Adrian Piperi of The Woodlands threw 71-11 to win the high school boys shot put. 

Texas A&M’s sprint medley team of Diamond Spaulding, Jaevin Reed, Kadecia Baird and Jazmine Fray set a new meet record with a time of 3:42.10, besting Arkansas’ previous record set in 2015.