XIAMEN, China, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Sweden's pole vault star Armand Duplantis improved his own world record by one centimeter as China's Gong Lijiao took the women's shot put victory at the opening meeting of the 2024 Diamond League here in Xiamen on Saturday.

24-year-old Duplantis needed only three attempts to secure his title, clearing 5.62-meter, 5.82m and 6.00m with a clean sheet. The bar was then raised to 6.24m, one centimeter over his own world record set last September at the 2023 Diamond League final in Eugene, the United States. The world and Olympic champion duly soared over the bar once again at his first attempt.