Emmanouil Karalis surpasses Serhii Bubka to become second-best outdoor pole vaulter in history

Emmanouil Karalis, a Greek pole vaulter, has set a new benchmark in outdoor pole vaulting by clearing a height of 6.16 meters (20 feet, 2½ inches) during the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne. This achievement places him in second position on the all-time list of outdoor pole vaulters, just behind Swedish legend Armand Duplantis, who holds the record with a clearance of 6.21 meters.

Karalis achieved this remarkable feat on his second attempt, securing a silver medal in the event. His result marked a significant improvement over his previous record of 6.17 meters indoors, which, however, does not count towards this outdoor ranking. The Ukrainian legend Serhii Bubka, who set the previous outdoor record with a 6.14-meter clearance in 1994, was outdone by both Karalis and Duplantis.

After the jump, Duplantis was recognized as the all-time outdoor leader with his impressive 6.30-meter clearance. Karalis, who has previously criticized the International Olympic Committee's stance on Russian athletes, expressed his hope to continue producing jumps of this caliber until the end of the season. "When I start my run-up, psychologically I have already cleared it," he said, according to Suspilne Sport.