Sport

Mondo Duplantis soars to Olympics pole vault Gold and breaks own world record

This is the ninth time Duplantis has broken the world record, beating the mark of 6.24m he set in the Xiamen Diamond League in April this year.

Published

1 month ago

August 6, 2024

Ariana News

Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis flew over the bar at a new world record height of 6.25m, having already secured Paris 2024 Gold earlier Monday evening with a vault of 6.00m.

This is the ninth time Duplantis has broken the world record, beating the mark of 6.24m he set in the Xiamen Diamond League in April this year.

“I haven’t processed how fantastic that moment was," he said after his historic jump. "It’s one of those things that don’t really feel real, such an out-of-body experience. It’s still hard to kind of land right now.

"What can I say? I just broke a world record at the Olympics, the biggest possible stage for a pole vaulter. [My] biggest dream since a kid was to break the world record at the Olympics, and I’ve been able to do that in front of the most ridiculous crowd I’ve ever competed in front of.”

The crowd he spoke of in the Stade de France has become used to breathtaking moments at these Olympics, but few can compare to this mammoth effort from Duplantis.

“I haven’t processed how fantastic that moment was," he said after his historic jump.

As chants of “Mondo, Mondo, Mondo” rang around the stadium, Duplantis did what he does best, first breaking the Olympic record with a jump of 6.10m and then raising the bar higher to 6.25m.

As he flew over the bar, he was met with roars from across the masses of people inside the Stade de France who had witnessed the greatest jump — and jumper — in history.

“I tried to clear my thoughts as much as I could," he said of the momentous reception he received from the stands. "The crowd was going crazy. It was so loud in there, it sounded like an American football game. I have a little bit of experience being in a 100,000-capacity stadium, but I was never the center of attention. [I was] just trying to channel the energy everybody was giving me, and they were giving me a lot of it. It worked out.”

With the screams of joy from the crowd only matched by Duplantis' own, the 24-year-old jumped from the mat and straight into the arms of his loved ones.

On a night filled with unforgettable moments, this is one that will be talked about for years to come.

His gold medal in Paris continues his incredible streak at major international outdoor championships, which has seen him win gold at the past three worlds and — after Monday — the last two Olympic Games.

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Sport

South Africa announces squad for white-ball series against Afghanistan

The first ODI will be played on September 18, with the second and third ODIs scheduled for September 20 and 22

Published

8 hours ago

September 9, 2024

Ariana News

South Africa this week announced the squads for their white-ball series later this month against Afghanistan in the UAE.

The South African ODI squad set to face Afghanistan will depart for the UAE on Saturday, 14 September, in preparation for the series opener on 18 September.

In July, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed that it will host South Africa for a series of three One Day International (ODI) matches from September 18 to 22 in the United Arab Emirates.

This three-match ODI series will be the first-ever bilateral cricket series between the two countries hosted by Afghanistan.

The first ODI will be played on September 18, with the second and third ODIs scheduled for September 20 and 22 respectively at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in UAE.

The Afghanistan team will leave Delhi for the UAE on the same day, following their one-off Test against New Zealand which is scheduled from September 9 to 13 in Greater Noida, India.

The ACB has not yet announced the Afghanistan squad.

The South Africa ODI squad against Afghanistan is as follows: Temba Bavuma (captain), Ottneil Baartman, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Nqaba Peter, Andile Simelane, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne and Lizaad Williams.

Sport

Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran ruled out of New Zealand test due to injury

Afghanistan’s test against New Zealand is scheduled to start on Monday in Greater Noida near New Delhi.

Published

1 day ago

September 8, 2024

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s prolific top-order batter Ibrahim Zadran has been ruled out of the upcoming one-off Test against New Zealand and the three-match ODI series against South Africa due to an ankle sprain in his left leg, the Afghan cricket board announced Sunday.

Afghanistan’s test against New Zealand is scheduled to start on Monday in Greater Noida near New Delhi.

The three-match ODI series against South Africa will kick off on September 18.

Afghanistan have already been dealt a big blow with spin spearhead Rashid Khan and fast bowler Naveed Zadran thrown out of action with injuries.

Sport

Shahidi calls for more Test matches and one home venue for Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s captain Shahidi believes that sticking to only one home venue will make them stronger

Published

1 day ago

September 8, 2024

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi said Sunday the team needs to play more Tests and have just "one good home venue" in India in order to improve in the red-ball format.

Addressing the media on the eve of Afghanistan’s one-off Test against New Zealand, Shahidi said nine games in six years is not enough.

“If we get a lot more chances with the good teams, we will improve.”

“I think if we get more chances on a regular basis, we will improve a lot because if we see as a team and as a country, we are brave people and we always accept challenges,” he said.

“I think it will be very good for us as a side. If you look at our past, we get one Test match and we start preparing for that ten days before. So it's not easy to come to red-ball cricket.

“Playing matches will make us even better on judging the ball and playing good cricket in red-ball format, compared to playing in the nets. So if we play three-four games back to back I think it will be better," he said.

Ranked 12th in the ICC Test rankings, Afghanistan are a force in the white-ball formats, ranked ninth in ODIs and tenth in T20Is.

Apart from hoping to play Test cricket more frequently going forward, Shahidi said he also wants "one good home venue" in India instead of the team having to travel from place to host teams.

For this Test, which starts on Monday, Afghanistan will host New Zealand in Greater Noida, near Delhi. Since becoming a Full Member, their other home Tests have been in Dehradun, Lucknow and Abu Dhabi.

But Shahidi believes that sticking to only one home venue will make them stronger.

He pointed out that while India is considered home, the other nations they have played have had more games in India than Afghanistan has.

"So hopefully we will get one good venue here in India and we stick with that. If we stick with one venue, it will be more effective for us,” he said.

Following their press conference, Shahidi and his New Zealand counterpart Tim Southee unveiled the trophy for their one-off Test - which will hopefully go off as planned as the weather forecast for the coming week points towards rain.