Doha: The Diamond League said today that world and European champion Mondo Duplantis will participate in the pole vault event at the Doha leg of the Diamond League.

According to Qatar News Agency, Duplantis will begin his 2026 season in Doha, the opening round of the Diamond League, marking the competition as one of the strongest events of the 2026 season with the presence of the Olympic and world champion. The Diamond League highlighted Duplantis's distinctive style that continues to inspire generations in the pole vault.

The Diamond League confirmed that Duplantis's participation in Doha signifies the start of his efforts to defend his title as the best pole vaulter and Diamond Trophy winner from the 2025 season. His participation follows a record-breaking performance, where he consistently competed against himself from one round to the next.

Duplantis, 26, is acclaimed as the most prominent athlete in the history of the pole vault, having secured the Olympic gold medal twice and six world championship titles at the senior level, with three outdoors and three indoors. He has also clinched three consecutive European outdoor titles alongside five consecutive Diamond League titles from 2021 to 2025.

He has set the world record multiple times since 2020, with his most recent achievement being a 6.30-meter jump at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo last September, where he took home the gold medal.

The Doha leg of the Diamond League is scheduled to be held at the track and field stadium of Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium at Qatar SC on May 8, inaugurating the first round of the series globally. It will feature 14 races and field events for both men and women across the 15 rounds planned worldwide.