Emmanouil Karalis wins his second consecutive silver medal; Dupont wins his fourth gold

Just as he did in 2024 at the European Outdoor Athletics Championships in Rome, so too this year at the championships in Birmingham, Emmanouil Karalis won the silver medal in the pole vault, with a best jump of 6.00m. Once again, he was up against the Swedish superstar and world record holder, Mondo Duplantis, who, with a jump of 2.15 m, was crowned European Champion in the outdoor pole vault for the fourth time (2018 Berlin, 2022 Munich, 2024 Rome, 2026 Birmingham). The bronze medal was won by France’s Baptiste Thierry with a jump of 5.85 m.

After a thrilling «duel» with the «giant» Mondo Duplantis—which… left the British crowd at Alexander Stadium breathless—«Manolo» had the best jump at 6.00m, a height he cleared on his second attempt, just as the Swedish super-athlete had done. However, Duplantis cleared 6.10 m and 6.15 m on his first try, while the smiling face of Greek athletics, Emmanouil Karalis… even as he was aiming to improve his national outdoor record of 6.08m.

Emmanouil Karalis won the medal in the pole vault final at the European Outdoor Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

«Manolo» cleared 5.55 meters on his first attempt—with ease—on his first jump, then skipped 5.70 meters and comfortably cleared 5.85 meters, as did Swedish superstar Mondo Duplantis and Frenchman Baptiste Thiery. Duplantis skipped 5.95m, but not so Emmanouil Karalis. With Dupont… keeping his eyes fixed on his Greek… rival, ’Manolo« cleared 5.95 m, a height that Thierry failed to clear, however, after three failed attempts to win the bronze medal.

Duplantis also attempted the 6.00-meter mark, but failed on his first try, leaving Emmanouil Karalis with a huge opportunity… to win the gold medal! However, Karalis went… under the bar on his first attempt at 6.00m, giving the three-time European champion prior to Birmingham, Mondo Duplantis, the chance to continue competing for first place and his fourth gold. Both Karalis and Dupont cleared 6.00m on their second attempt. The Swede skipped 6.05m… as did Karalis. Duplantis cleared 6.10 m on his first attempt, but Karalis «shot himself in the foot,» since on his first attempt at 6.10 m, the Greek athlete, even though he had cleared the bar, touched it with his chest on the way down, causing him to be disqualified. Not even 6.15 m posed a challenge for Dupont, who cleared the height on his first attempt. Emmanouil Karalis, however, did not clear 6.15 m on his first attempt. Duplandis skipped the 6.20m; Karalis, though he tried, failed to clear it. Dupont stopped at 6.15, and the final concluded, with «Manolo» taking silver for the second time at the European Outdoor Championships.

All of Karalis' medals in the men's division

2026 - 2nd place, 6.00 m, European Championships, Birmingham

2026 - 2nd place, 6.05 m, World Indoor Championships, Toruń

2025 – 2nd place, 6.00 m, World Championships, Tokyo

2025 – 2nd place, 6.05 m, World Indoor Championships, Nanjing

2025 – 1st place, 5.90 m, European Indoor Championships, Apeldoorn

2024 – 3rd place, 5.90 m, Olympic Games, Paris

2024 – 2nd, 5.87 m, European Championships, Rome

2024 – 3rd, 5.85 m, World Indoor Championships, Glasgow

2023 – 2nd place, 5.80 m, European Indoor Championships, Istanbul

ASPASIA VELONAKI