Tinch and Duplantis fly in Shanghai

Cordell Tinch flew to equal fourth on the world 110m hurdles all-time list and Mondo Duplantis soared 6.11m to maintain his pole vault reign at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Shanghai/Keqiao on Saturday (3).

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Both athletes backed up their victories in the opening Diamond League meeting of the season in Xiamen last weekend, on a day that saw many meeting records set in Keqiao.

Tinch’s 12.87 was one of them. The US 24-year-old clocked 13.06 to claim his first Diamond League win in Xiamen but stormed under 13 seconds in Keqiao, becoming the equal fourth-fastest 110m hurdler in history with his winning time of 12.87 (0.6m/s).

He now sits behind only his compatriots Aries Merritt (12.80), Grant Holloway (12.81) and Devon Allen (12.84) on the world all-time list, his 12.87 matching the best mark achieved by Cuba’s 2008 Olympic champion Dayron Robles.

It is the fastest time ever recorded this early in the season.

Rachid Muratake of Japan finished second in 13.10 and Jamaica’s Olympic bronze medallist Rasheed Broadbell was third in 13.24.

"It sounds pretty good (to be joint fourth on the world all-time list). I just wanted to go out there and compete after winning last week," said Tinch. "I felt like I was going to run something fast, but it is matter of trying to finish those races when I get out well. I didn't know it would be 12.8 fast, but I thought it would be at least faster than 13.06."

Sweden's Duplantis also improved on his performance from Xiamen, where he managed a best of 5.92m. This time the world pole vault record-holder cleared a meeting record of 6.11m, on his first attempt, to win again ahead of Olympic bronze medallist Emmanouil Karalis of Greece who soared 6.01m.

Olympic and world champion Duplantis, who improved his world record to 6.27m in Clermont-Ferrand in February, went on to take three attempts at 6.28m.

His fellow world record-holders Karsten Warholm and Yaroslava Mahuchikh also followed their wins in Xiamen with victories in Keqiao.