Mondo Duplantis cleared 5.55m in the men’s pole vault at the European athletics championships in Birmingham, taking his place in a tightly packed opening phase of the event on the final night of competition.
The men’s pole vault began with a 14-strong field, and nine athletes had already cleared 5.55m, underlining how competitive the early stages were. Duplantis’ clearance kept him firmly in the mix as the championships moved into their closing session at Alexander Stadium.
Closing session in Birmingham
The vault was part of a final session that also capped a busy finish for the championships. Earlier on Thursday, Mark English won the men’s 800m final, Rhasidat Adeleke took silver in the women’s 200m, and Andrew Coscoran added bronze in the men’s 1500m. The previous night, Great Britain won double gold in the 4x100m relays.
The championships also came against the backdrop of a security scare during the relay session at Alexander Stadium, when dozens of athletes and thousands of spectators were caught up in an operation involving armed police. Even so, the mood around the arena remained strong, with Irish athletes drawing loud support throughout the week.
Irish momentum throughout the meet
Ireland had already built an impressive medal haul before the final session. Paul O’Donnell said it felt as though the support created a unique atmosphere, calling it “incredible” to see green and the tricolours all over the course. He added that the backing was a major lift, saying it felt much appreciated and describing the crowd as a roar of support for Ireland.
Kate O’Connor echoed that feeling, saying it was “probably the closest we’ll ever get to a home games” and that she would never forget the roars, cheers and support after winning gold. With Amanal Petros winning the men’s marathon and Alisa Vainio taking the women’s marathon in Birmingham on the morning of the report, the championships reached their final stages with medals still being decided and Duplantis in position at the center of the men’s pole vault.
For Duplantis, clearing 5.55m was the first notable checkpoint in the event. For the championships, it was another reminder that the closing session still had top-end quality across the board, from distance races to field events.
He will next be one to watch in the remaining rounds, while fans following the broader European athletics picture can also track Mondo Duplantis returns to defend his Herculis crown in Monaco — Monaco Diamond League 2026.
