Mondo Duplantis, Yulimar Rojas break world records at world indoor championships

Mondo Duplantis and Yulimar Rojas broke their own world records in the men’s pole vault and women’s triple jump to close the world indoor track and field championships.

Duplantis, a Louisiana-raised Swede, cleared 6.20 meters (20 feet, 4 inches) on his third and final attempt to raise his record by one centimeter for the second time in two weeks.

The Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas launched the farthest jump in history in any setting, leaping 15.74 meters.

Rojas, who has won every global title since placing second at the 2016 Olympics, bettered her previous world indoor record of 15.43 meters from 2020 by more than a foot.

WORLD INDOORS: Full Results

Her outdoor world record is 15.67 meters from the Tokyo Games.

“The 16-meter mark is my big goal,” said Rojas, who hopes to compete in the long jump and triple jump at this summer’s world outdoor championships. “Every day, I am trying to add one more centimeter to get closer to it.”

Just as in Tokyo, Rojas’ record-breaking jump came on the last jump of the competition in Belgrade on Sunday, with the gold medal already assured.

The 6-foot-2 star has lost just one triple jump competition since September 2019.

Later Sunday, Americans Grant Holloway and Ajeé Wilson won the men’s 60m hurdles and women’s 800m, respectively.

Holloway, the Olympic 110m hurdles silver medalist, tied his world record of 7.29 seconds in the semifinals, then won the final in 7.39. He has an eight-year unbeaten streak in the 60m hurdles, and his only defeat in any event since the start of 2021 was in the Olympic final.

Wilson, 27, earned her first senior global title after two bronzes and two silvers between indoor and outdoor worlds.

Isaiah Harris gutted out his preliminary round 4x400m anchor leg after