The Stark Arena in the Serbian capital experienced two historic moments a few hours apart.

It was first Rojas who, at the end of the morning, capsized the enclosure by achieving a new exceptional performance to offer herself a 3rd title of indoor world champion.

Without a rival to her measure, the slender athlete (1.92 m) erased her mark of 15.67 m established at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. While she was heading for easy success as usual, she released a last prodigious triple jump on his last attempt, like in Japan, cementing his place in the legend of his sport.

Her two immediate pursuers, the Ukrainian Marina Bekh-Romanchuk (14.74 m) and the Jamaican Kimberley Williams (14.62 m), are relegated to at least one meter, a sign of the abyssal chasm which separates the Venezuelan from the other competitors.

Seven months after overtaking Ukrainian Inessa Kravets, who had held the world record since 1995 (15.50m), Rojas demonstrated with disconcerting ease that she could go well beyond that.

"It was like living a dream for me today, she said. I wanted to come here to have fun. I was in great shape and I felt that I could do great things. I am very happy because I achieved everything I wanted and even more. The record could have happened at any time but it happened at the last try. It was like a leap for glory."

Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas in the triple jump competition at the World Championships in Belgrade, March 20, 2022 Pedja Milosavljevic AFP

16m target for Rojas

The symbolic bar of 16 m no longer even seems inaccessible to the Venezuelan, who has never hidden her ambition to become the first woman to reach it.

At only 26 years old, there will be no shortage of opportunities for the one who has reigned supreme over the triple jump for almost 5 seasons.

"My motto is + nothing is impossible +, she said. I will get there. I was born to jump 16 meters and that's what I want to inspire others. I know that I I have 16 meters in my legs and that's my goal."

At the end of the Worlds, Armand Duplantis was not left out by adding one centimeter to the world record set in the same room barely two weeks ago.

The Swedish prodigy (22) needed 3 tries to clear a bar at 6.20 m, but it was enough to get the 19,000 spectators massed in the Stark Arena, packed for the occasion, up. .

Armand Duplantis immortalizes his pole vault world record at the World Championships in Belgrade, March 20, 2022 ANDREJ ISAKOVIC AFP

The native of Lafayette in Louisiana, who beat the Brazilian Thiago Braz (5.95m) and the American Chris Nilsen (5.90m), confirmed that he was evolving in another galaxy by improving his record for the 3rd times since he snatched it from Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie in February 2020.

Olympic champion (2021) and European outdoor champion (2018) as well as indoors (2021), Duplantis had never before been crowned at a world meeting.

He will try this summer in Eugene (July 15-24) to grab the gold medal at the Outdoor Worlds, the only one now missing from his already well-stocked list.

"I want to push barriers, he explained. I want to be a guy who jumps high in the big competitions. I have now jumped enough over 6m to know that it is possible to break records n whatever. I have a good idea of ​​what I need to stay on top."

The evening could have been even crazier if Grant Holloway had continued his momentum after equaling his world record in the 60m hurdles in the semi-finals (7 sec 29).

The American dropped a tone in the final (7 sec 39), all the same setting the record straight after the disappointment of the Olympic Games (2nd) but leaving the beautiful role to the irresistible duo Rojas-Duplantis.

© 2022 AFP