Swedish pole vault star Mondo Duplantis will compete at the Shanghai/Keqiao leg of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League in May, adding yet another stop to his quest for a sixth straight series title.
Duplantis broke the meeting record with 6.11m in Keqiao last year, and he will be hoping to go even higher when he returns to China in 2026.
“Competing in Keqiao is always special,” Duplantis states. “The atmosphere, the crowd, and the energy really push you to perform at your best. Competing in new places around the world inspires me, so I am excited to compete here again this year and hope we can put on a great show!”
Serial world record breaker Duplantis has dominated the Diamond League in recent years, racking up 41 victories in athletics’ premier global series since 2018.
Since 2020, he has revolutionised the men’s pole vault, winning two Olympic gold medals and six world titles indoors and outdoors and breaking the world record no fewer than 14 times.
He has held the Diamond League title in the men’s pole vault since 2021 and will be hoping to move a step closer to the all-time record of seven Diamond Trophies held by his friend and rival Renaud Lavillenie in 2026.
Shanghai will be one of many Diamond League appearances for Duplantis in 2026, with the Swedish superstar also confirmed for London, Silesia and the season opener in Doha.
The meeting on May 16 sees him return to China for the third year in a row.
In 2024, he broke the world record with 6.24m at the Diamond League opener in Xiamen and last season he cleared the six-metre mark in both Xiamen and Keqiao.
Shanghai/Keqiao is the second leg of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League, which begins in Doha on May 8 and ends at the two-day series final in Brussels on September 4-5.
The series unites the biggest names in track and field in some of the world’s most iconic arenas, crossing four continents and 15 cities over the course of the season.
