TORUŃ, POLAND, March 20–22 — While the buzz in the men’s running events, for U.S. fans at least, emanated from a pair of youthful champions, the field event storyline centered on battle-tested veterans. Only the high jump and long jump golds went to first-time winners.
Shot champ Tom Walsh, in fact, picked up his fourth WIC gold — rather remarkable in the “Crouser Era.” Less surprising — understatement alert — was Mondo Duplantis scaling a golden height for his fourth time in these championships.
Manolo Karalís, as has been his wont last season and this, added excitement to the vault proceedings. Things got interesting at 19-10¼ (6.05), after Australia’s Kurtis Marschall bowed out with a 19-8¼ (6.00) jump and the bronze. Mondo passed while Karalís cleared to take the lead. At 20-0 (6.10), Mondo went over on first and the Greek passed. At 20-2 (6.15), the same: Mondo cleared, Karalís passed.
That put the bar at 20-4 (6.20), a height only Mondo has ever mastered. The WR-holder ratcheted up the pressure by passing. Karalís missed his first attempt, then passed. The bar went to an MR 20-6 (6.25), with Duplantis clearing on his first. Karalís missed twice to end up with silver.
Mondo, who had set a WR 20-4 in his first Worlds win in ’22, explained, “It was a tough competition, that is why I did not go for a World Record. After all those jumps, it was difficult to go back-to-back.”
New Zealand’s Walsh scored his fourth WIC win late. Jordan Geist led until round 5 with his first throw of 71-0 (21.64). That’s when Walsh slipped past with a 71-¾ (21.66). Geist’s response fell short, and Walsh punctuated the win with a last-round 71-7¼ (21.82) as Roger Steen took bronze at 70-6¼ (21.49). That made it two medals in a row for the American after his silver in ’25. The two U.S. medalists made theirs the only men’s field event (other than the heptathlon, its own breed of cat) in which Team USA scored hardware.
“My whole career started in Poland with bronze at the 2014 World Indoors in Sopot,” said the winner, who turned 34 this month. “If you told me then that I would still be here winning medals at every edition since then I would tell you you were dreaming. It is great to see I can still do it against the younger guys.
“The energy here is great — this is why I love competing indoors because the energy of the crowd is more focused on you. My goal for today was to throw 22m [c72ft] and win a medal. I did not quite get to 22 but I won gold so it is pretty good. I was glad I was able to build things up as the competition went on.
“Throwing last when you know you have won sometimes saps the energy out of you but, at other times, it can give you a boost, and that happened for me today.”
When Mattia Furlani, who won gold in and out last season, took the long jump lead with his 27-6½ (8.39) in round 5, that looked like a wrap. No one told Portugal’s Gerson Baldé, who responded with a world-leading 27-9¼ (8.46) for gold.
“I have been longing for this for quite some time now but I am still surprised as I have never been considered one of the favorites,” said Baldé, the 8th-place finisher in ’25. “This proves that anyone who dreams big can achieve anything they want.
“Not so long ago, I am sure that a final jump would most probably have been a foul due to feeling so anxious about winning a medal. My coach told me to stay calm and that definitely helped my overall performance. Now, I want to go outdoors and show that I can jump far again. All the other competitors were really strong but I managed to save my best jump for last. I stayed calm and showed the world what I can do.”
Triple jumper Andy Díaz Hernández, now 30, won gold in ’25 with the longest leap of his career, an Italian Record 58-4¾ (17.80). He has been troubled by injury this season, but put everything into his first jump of 57-3¾ (17.47) and never came close to that again. Jamaica’s Jordan Scott got nearest to an upset with his third round 56-10¼ (17.33) and claimed his first global medal.
In a high jump devoid of Americans, 24-year-old Ukrainian Oleh Doroshchuk was perfect through 7-6½ (2.30), which gave him the gold and equaled his season’s best.
“Ukraine always has such strong men’s and women’s high jumpers that I cannot believe I’m the first Ukrainian to win gold [at a World Indoor],” he said. “I didn’t think about how to grab the medal here. This indoor season was not as good as we planned which is why I just wanted to enjoy the competition and the atmosphere in this amazing arena, thinking a little bit about possibly improving my season’s best.”
MEN’S HIGH JUMP RESULTS
(March 21)
1. Oleh Doroshchuk (Ukr) 7-6½ (2.30)
(7-1½, 7-3¼, 7-5, 7-6½, 7-7¾ [xxx]) (2.17, 2.22, 2.26, 2.30, 2.33 [xxx]);
2. Erik Portillo (Mex) 7-6½ (2.30) =NR
(7-1½, 7-3¼, 7-5 [2], 7-6½ [3], 7-7¾ [xxx]) (2.17, 2.22, 2.26 [2], 2.30 [3], 2.33 [xxx]);
=3. Raymond Richards (Jam) 7-5 (2.26)
(7-1½, 7-3¼, 7-5, 7-6½ [xxx]) (2.17, 2.22, 2.26, 2.30 [xxx]);
=3. Sang-hyeok Woo (SK) 7-5 (2.26)
(7-1½, 7-3¼, 7-5, 7-6½ [xxx]) (2.17, 2.22, 2.26, 2.30 [xxx]);
5. Tomohiro Shinno (Jpn) 7-5 (2.26)
(7-1½, 7-3¼ [2], 7-5 [2], 7-6½ [xxx]) (2.17, 2.22 [2], 2.26 [2], 2.30 [xxx]);
6. Jan Štefela (CzR) 7-5 (2.26)
(7-1½ [2], 7-3¼ [2], 7-5 [2], 7-6½ [xxx]) (2.17 [2], 2.22 [2], 2.26 [2], 2.30 [xxx]);
7. Mateusz Kołodziejski (Pol) 7-3¼ (2.22); 8. Adónios Mérlos (Gre) 7-3¼; 9. tie, Romaine Beckford (Jam) & Younes Ayachi (Alg) 7-3¼ (2.22); 11. tie, Christian Falocchi (Ita) & Naoto Hasegawa (Jpn) 7-1½ (2.17).
MEN’S POLE VAULT RESULTS
(March 21)
1. Mondo Duplantis (Swe) 20-6 (6.25) (x, 3 W) (in/out: x, =8 W)
(18-½, 19-2¼, 19-8¼, 20-0, 20-2, 20-6) (5.50, 5.85, 6.00, 6.10, 6.15, 6.25);
2. Manolo Karalís (Gre) 19-10¼ (6.05)
(18-8¼, 19-2¼, 19-6¼, 19-8¼ [2], 19-10¼, 20-4 [x], 20-6 [xx]) (5.70, 5.85, 5.95, 6.00 [2], 6.05, 6.20 [x], 6.25 [xx]);
3. Kurtis Marschall (Aus) 19-8¼ (6.00) =PR
(18-½, 18-8¼, 19-2¼, 19-6¼ [x], 19-8¼, 19-10¼ [xxx]) (5.50, 5.70, 5.85, 5.95 [x], 6.00, 6.05 [xxx]);
4. Sondre Guttormsen (Nor) 19-6¼ (5.95)
(18-½, 18-8¼ [2], 19-2¼ [3], 19-6¼, 19-10¼ [xxx]) (5.50, 5.70 [2], 5.85 [3], 5.95, 6.05 [xxx]);
5. Zach Bradford (US) 19-6¼ (5.95)
(18-½, 18-8¼ [2], 19-2¼ [2], 19-6¼ [2], 19-8¼ [xxx]) (5.50, 5.70 [2], 5.85 [2], 5.95 [2], 6.00 [xxx]);
6. Baptiste Thiery (Fra) 19-2¼ (5.85)
(18-8¼ [2], 19-2¼, 19-6¼ [x], 19-8¼ [xx]) (5.70 [2], 5.85, 5.95 [x], 6.00 [xx]);
7. Menno Vloon (Neth) 19-2¼ (5.85)
(18-½, 18-8¼, 19-2¼ [2], 19-6¼ [x], 19-8¼ [xx]) (5.50, 5.70, 5.85 [2], 5.95 [x], 6.00 [xx]);
8. Thibaut Collet (Fra) 19-2¼ (5.85)
(18-8¼ [2], 19-2¼ [2], 19-6¼ [xx], 19-8¼ [x]) (5.70 [2], 5.85 [2], 5.95 [xx], 6.00 [x]);
=9. Chris Nilsen (US) 18-8¼ (5.70)
(18-½, 18-8¼, 19-2¼ [xxx]) (5.50, 5.70, 5.85 [xxx]);
=9. EJ Obiena (Phi) 18-8¼ (5.70)
(18-½, 18-8¼, 19-2¼ [xxx]) (5.50, 5.70, 5.85 [xxx]);
11. Simen Guttormsen (Nor) 18-8¼ (5.70)
(18-½ [2], 18-8¼, 19-2¼ [xxx]) (5.50 [2], 5.70, 5.85 [xxx]);
12. David Holý (CzR) 18-½ (5.50)
(18-½, 18-8¼ [xxx]) (5.50, 5.70 [xxx]).
(best-ever mark-for-place: =3, =4, 5, 8)
MEN’S LONG JUMP RESULTS
(March 22)
1. Gerson Baldé (Por) 27-9¼ (8.46) NR
(26-9¾, f, 26-5¾, f, 26-10½, 27-9¼) (8.17, f, 8.07, f, 8.19, 8.46);
2. Mattia Furlani (Ita) 27-6½ (8.39) =NR (26-9¼, 27-¾, f, 27-0, 27-6½, f) (8.16, 8.25, f, 8.23, 8.39, f);
3. Bozhidar Saraboyukov (Bul) 27-3¼ (8.31)
(26-11¾, 27-3¼, 27-2¾, 26-8½, f, f) (8.22, 8.31, 8.30, 8.14, f, f);
4. Jorge A. Hodelín (Cub) 27-1¼ (8.26) WJR (old WJR 26-11¾/8.22 Viktor Kuznetsov [Ukr] ’05)
(26-5½, 27-1¼, f, f, f, 26-4½) (8.06, 8.26, f, f, f, 8.04);
5. Jeremiah Davis (US) 26-11¼ (8.21)
(25-2, 26-6½, 26-2¾, 26-1¾, 26-11¼, 26-9¼) (7.67, 8.09, 7.99, 7.97, 8.21, 8.16);
6. Miltiádis Tentóglou (Gre) 26-10½ (8.19)
(26-6½, 26-9, 26-5½, 26-3, 26-7¾, 26-10½) (8.09, 8.15, 8.06, 8.00, 8.12, 8.19);
7. Tajay Gayle (Jam) 26-7¾ (8.12) (26-5¾, 26-4¼, 26-0, 26-7¾, 25-2½) (8.07, 8.03, 7.92, 8.12, 7.68);
8. Eusebio Cáceres (Spa) 26-4½ (8.04)
(24-8¼, 26-1, 26-4½, f, f) (7.52, 7.95, 8.04, f, f);
9. Carey McLeod (Jam) 26-2¼ (7.98)
(25-8¼, 26-2¼, 25-5½, 25-11) (7.83, 7.98, 7.76, 7.90);
10. Thobias Montler (Swe) 26-¾ (7.94); 11. Liam Adcock (Aus) 26-0 (7.92); 12. Steffin McCarter (US) 25-10¾ (7.89); 13. Heng Shu (Chn) 25-5½ (7.76); 14. Kristian Pulli (Fin) 25-3½ (7.71); 15. Luka Herden (Ger) 25-2½ (7.68); 16. Temoso Masikane (SA) 24-2¼ (7.37);… 3f—Luvo Manyonga (SA).
MEN’S TRIPLE JUMP RESULTS
(March 20)
1. Andy Díaz Hernández (Ita) 57-3¾ (17.47)
(57-3¾, 55-5¾, p, 56-½, f, f) (17.47, 16.91, p, 17.08, f, f);
2. Jordan Scott (Jam) 56-10¼ (17.33) PR
(56-8¾, 56-9¼, 56-10¼, f, 56-9½, 55-4¾) (17.29, 17.30, 17.33, f, 17.31, 16.88);
3. Yasser Triki (Alg) 56-9¼ (17.30)
(56-4, 56-6½, 56-5¾, 56-9¼, 56-7½, 54-6½) (17.17, 17.23, 17.21, 17.30, 17.26, 16.62);
4. Lázaro Martínez (Cub) 56-2¾ (17.14)
(55-10¼, 56-2¾, f, 55-1½, 55-10½, 55-5½) (17.02, 17.14, f, 16.80, 17.03, 16.90);
5. Jonathan Seremes (Fra) 55-6½ (16.93) (55-6½, 54-5¼, 52-3¾, f, 52-8¾, 55-3¾) (16.93, 16.59, 15.94, f, 16.07, 16.86);
6. Almir dos Santos (Bra) 55-6¼ (16.92) (f, 53-7½, 54-6¾, 55-6¼, f, 44-2¾) (f, 16.34, 16.63, 16.92, f, 13.48);
7. Andrea Dallavalle (Ita) 55-5½ (16.90) (53-7½, 55-4¾, 55-5½, 55-3½, 55-1) (16.34, 16.88, 16.90, 16.85, 16.79);
8. Amath Faye (Sen) 55-0 (16.76);
9. Wen Su (Chn) 54-7¼ (16.64); 10. Elton Petronilho (Bra) 54-6 (16.61); 11. Russell Robinson (US) 54-2¾ (16.53); 12. Andy Hechavarría (Cub) 53-10½ (16.42); 13. Necati Er (Tur) 53-8¼ (16.36); 14. Gor Hovakimyan (Arm) 53-3¾ (16.25); 15. Du Mapaya (Zim) 53-3¾ (16.25); 16. Andréas Pantazís (Gre) 50-8¼ (15.45); … 3f—Melvin Raffin (Fra).
MEN’S SHOT RESULTS
(March 22)
1. Tom Walsh (NZ) 71-7¼ (21.82)
(67-6¾, 69-7, 68-10¾, 69-9¾, 71-¾, 71-7¼) (20.59, 21.21, 21.00, 21.28, 21.66, 21.82);
2. Jordan Geist (US) 71-0 (21.64)
(71-0, f, f, f, f, 70-1¾) (21.64, f, f, f, f, 21.38);
3. Roger Steen (US) 70-6¼ (21.49)
(64-8½, 67-¾, 69-5½, f, 69-7½, 70-6¼) (19.72, 20.44, 21.17, f, 21.22, 21.49);
4. Scott Lincoln (GB) 69-4 (21.13) PR
(68-10, 69-4, 68-2¼, 67-9, 69-1¼, 68-6) (20.98, 21.13, 20.78, 20.65, 21.06, 20.88);
5. Wictor Petersson (Swe) 69-3½ (21.12)
(66-1½, 68-5, 69-3½, f, f, f) (20.15, 20.85, 21.12, f, f, f);
6. Josh Awotunde (US) 68-9¼ (20.96) (67-1½, 67-11¾, 68-9¼, 68-9¼, f, 67-11½) (20.46, 20.72, 20.96, 20.96, f, 20.71); 7. Leonardo Fabbri (Ita) 68-7¾ (20.92) (f, 67-6¼, 68-1, f, 68-7¾) (f, 20.58, 20.75, f, 20.92); 8. Konrad Bukowiecki (Pol) 67-8 (20.62); 9. Nick Ponzio (Ita) 66-10 (20.37); 10. Uziel Muñoz (Mex) 66-7¼ (20.30); 11. Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (Ngr) 65-9 (20.04); 12. Andrei Toader (Rom) 65-4 (19.91); 13. Wellington Morais (Bra) 65-4 (19.91); 14. Marcus Thomsen (Nor) 63-8¼ (19.41); 15. Aiden Smith (SA) 62-6¾ (19.07); 16. Giorgi Mujaridze (Geo) 62-5¼ (19.03); 17. Alexandr Mazur (Mol) 62-3¼ (18.98).
