Greek pole vaulter Emmanouil Karalis claimed his first ever Diamond League win on Saturday with an impressive 6.02m at the lakeside city event in Lausanne.
Karalis cleared 6.02m at the third attempt at the Place de la Navigation on the shores of Lake Geneva, breaking the six-metre mark for the 11th time in his career.
The Paris 2024 bronze medallist held off fierce competition from the likes of former world champion Sam Kendricks and seven-time Diamond League champion Renaud Lavillenie,
Kendricks bowed out after failing to clear 5.82m, while Lavillenie, Menno Vloon and Thibaut Collet were defeated by 5.92m.
Only Turkey’s Ersu Sasma attempted 6.02m alongside Karalis, yet he too fell short.
It was the second time this week that Karalis has cleared six metres, after a 6.00m effort which saw him finish second behind Mondo Duplantis at the Diamond League meeting in Silesia last weekend.
After five second-place finishes in six appearances so far this season, this was a first ever victory on the Diamond League circuit for the 26-year-old.
Karalis will head to Zurich next week to take on world record holder and reigning series champion Duplantis at the Wanda Diamond League Final.
The main programme at Athletissima will take place at the Stade de la Pontaise on Wednesday evening, with Noah Lyles, Keely Hodgkinson and Emmanuel Wanyonyi among the headline stars.
