Duplantis Becomes First Collegian Over 6 Meters In Pole Vault

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Armand Duplantis delivered a big moment for collegiate track and field Saturday and also helped his beloved LSU Tigers win the Southeastern Conference men's track and field title.

On a day when his big brother Antoine hit a three-run homer the for LSU baseball team, "Mondo" made history in Fayetteville, Ark. at the conference championships. 

Duplantis' clearance at 6.00m (19-8.25) broke former Tennessee star Lawrence Johnson's 1996 record of 5.98m (19-7.50). It was Duplantis' first six-meter clearance since winning the European championships last summer in Berlin. It is also a 2019 world-leading mark.

LSU scored 97 points -- and needed Duplantis' 10 -- to beat Florida (91) and Arkansas (85) for the team title. 

In one of the surprising upsets of the day, Kentucky's Daniel Roberts matched Grant Holloway's SEC record and world-leading mark in the 110-meter hurdles and beat him 13.07 seconds to 13.12. 

If this week's viral video isn't Duplantis, it might be Texas A&M's Infinite Tucker, who flew Superman-style at the finish line to beat teammate Robert Grant in the 400-meter hurdles, 49.38 to 49.47.

Arkansas dominated the women's competition and won the team title with 139.5 points. Razorbacks Janeek Brown (12.55) and Payton Chadwick (12.70) went 1-2 in the 100-meter hurdles final. Brown's time was a track record and lowered her own world-leading mark.