Ehammer breaks world record as Duplantis, Dosso and Kerr shine on Day 2 in Toruń
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Day 2 of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Toruń delivered a night of historic achievements and world-class competition, headlined by Simon Ehammer’s sensational heptathlon world record and Armand Duplantis’ championship record in the pole vault. Across the track and field, a combination of dominant performances, emerging stars, and razor-thin finishes created one of the most compelling sessions of the championships.
Simon Ehammer produced the defining moment of the meeting, scoring a world-record 6,670 points to win the men’s heptathlon and surpass Ashton Eaton’s long-standing mark by 25 points. The Swiss all-around star sealed the record with a personal best of 2:41.04 in the 1000 metres, completing a remarkable second day that included a personal best in the 60m hurdles and a winning clearance of 5.30m in the pole vault.
“For the moment, I am speechless because my dream came true,” said Ehammer. “I badly wanted to improve my European record here, but it was difficult to imagine that the world record would be possible as well… I went through all events fighting for my goal.”
In the field, Armand Duplantis once again confirmed his dominance in the men’s pole vault, clearing a championship record of 6.25m to claim his fourth consecutive world indoor title. The Swedish superstar delivered a flawless series, clearing all heights on his first attempt in a high-quality competition that saw three athletes surpass the 6.00m barrier.
“Today it was about the battle,” said Duplantis. “It was a tough competition… I am proud of the way I and Manolo jumped and proud to have come through for the win.”
The women’s 60 metres final lived up to its billing as one of the deepest races of the championships. Italy’s Zaynab Dosso stormed to gold in 7.00, completing her full set of world indoor medals after previous bronze and silver finishes. Jacious Sears took silver in 7.03, edging Olympic champion Julien Alfred in a photo finish, while Brianna Lyston placed fourth in 7.05.
“I still cannot fully realise what I have done,” Dosso said. “Now I am finally the champion… This year everyone was here, so it means even more.”
A breakthrough performance came in the women’s 400 metres, where Lurdes Gloria Manuel claimed the title in a personal best of 50.76 under the two-race final format. The Czech athlete emerged as the fastest across both finals, while Natalia Bukowiecka equalled the Polish indoor record of 50.83 to secure silver and Lieke Klaver completed the podium.
“There are no words to describe my feelings,” Manuel said. “Making my debut at the World Indoors as a senior and finishing with gold is something I could not even dream of.”
In the women’s triple jump, Cuba’s Leyanis Pérez Hernández retained her world indoor title with a world-leading 14.95m, matching the best mark of the season. She held off Olympic champion Yulimar Rojas (14.86), while Senegal’s Saly Sarr impressed with a personal best of 14.70m to secure bronze.
The men’s 60 metres hurdles final produced another tightly contested race, with Poland’s Jakub Szymański winning gold in 7.40. Spain’s Enrique Llopis set a national record of 7.42 for silver, while Trey Cunningham took bronze in 7.43 in a final where the top four were separated by just three hundredths of a second.
“My goal was the national record,” Szymański said. “I thought it would take around 7.35–7.37 to win, but championship finals are a different story… the key was to hold my nerve.”
On the distance track, Josh Kerr added another global title to his collection, winning the men’s 3000 metres in 7:35.56 after a dramatic final-lap surge. The British star edged Olympic champion Cole Hocker and France’s Yann Schrub in a thrilling sprint finish.
“I wanted this gold medal so badly,” Kerr said. “There were a lot of mistakes in the race, but I had to push… I am really going to enjoy this medal.”
In the women’s 3000 metres, Nadia Battocletti delivered a composed and tactical performance to win gold in 8:57.64 on her championship debut. She held off Emily Mackay (8:58.12) and Jessica Hull in a tightly packed finish, adding another major title to her growing résumé.
“I surprised myself,” Battocletti said. “I knew I was in good shape, but I did not expect this… I finished with a very fast kick that I did not train for.”
Day 2 in Toruń will be remembered for its historic milestones and exceptional depth, with Ehammer’s world record performance, Duplantis’ continued brilliance, and a series of thrilling finals highlighting the global strength of indoor athletics.
