Greek champion pole vaulter Emmanouil Karalis cleared 6.16 meters in Lausanne on Thursday to set a new outdoor personal best, adding another major achievement to an already impressive 2026 season.
Karalis failed on his first attempt at 6.16 meters but cleared the bar on his second, prompting celebrations from the Greek athlete and an enthusiastic response from the crowd in Lausanne.
The achievement came with world record holder Armand “Mondo” Duplantis watching from the competition area. The Swedish star had cleared 6.16 meters on his first attempt and applauded Karalis after his successful second attempt.
The 6.16-meter clearance improves Karalis’ outdoor personal best from 6.08 meters.
Athletics – Diamond League – Lausanne – Pole Vault city event – Lausanne, Switzerland – August 20, 2026 Sweden’s Armand Duplantis with Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
Karalis has already gone higher in 2026, however. His overall personal best remains 6.17 meters, which he cleared at the Greek Indoor Championships. The mark remains his career best indoors and outdoors.
The Lausanne performance adds to a remarkable run for Karalis, who won Olympic bronze in Paris in 2024 and silver at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
