Home / Sports / World Records Ignite Torun: Duplantis & Hodgkinson Lead Stars
World Records Ignite Torun: Duplantis & Hodgkinson Lead Stars
18 Mar
Summary
- Duplantis and Hodgkinson set new world records before the championships.
- Torun holds special significance for Duplantis, site of his first record.
- Several reigning champions and Olympic medalists will defend their titles.
The World Indoor Championships are set to begin in Torun, Poland, on Friday, with Olympic gold medallists Armand Duplantis and Keely Hodgkinson leading a field of elite athletes. Both Duplantis and Hodgkinson arrive in Torun having recently set new world records in their respective disciplines.
Duplantis, representing Sweden, achieved his 15th world record by clearing 6.31 meters in the pole vault. For the US-born Swede, Torun holds particular significance as it was the venue where he set his first world record of 6.17 meters in February 2020. He is now seeking his fourth world indoor title.
Hodgkinson of Great Britain recently broke the 24-year-old record for the indoor 800m. She expressed enthusiasm for competing after a healthy winter, having overcome previous frustrations with injuries that kept her sidelined. Her participation marks a strong start to the indoor season.
The championships will also feature defending champions such as Britain's Jeremiah Azu in the men's 60m, facing strong competition from Jamaica's Kishane Thompson. In the men's 3000m, Britain's Josh Kerr, the 2023 world outdoor 1500m champion, is aiming for his second indoor title. The meet, scheduled from March 20-22, includes 10 other reigning champions from the previous year's event and nine individual gold medalists from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
