Athletics: Friday marks the start of the indoor World Championships, with many Italians and Duplantis ready to soar in the pole vault.

The international athletics winter season will conclude on Sunday in Torun, Poland, with the Indoor World Championships kicking off on Friday in Poland.

The best of the moment will compete internationally, starting with the Swedish Armand Duplantis, who on the 12th at the meeting in Uppsala, Sweden, achieved his 15th world record in pole vaulting, the seventh indoor, clearing the bar set at 6.31.

"Mondo" Duplantis set the world record in pole vaulting on the 12th in Sweden: 6.31

With this height, “Mondo” Duplantis improved the previous record of 6.30, which on September 15, 2025 was needed in Tokyo to win his third world title (the other two won in Eugene 2022 and Budapest 2023), after two Olympic golds (Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024), 3 indoor world titles (Belgrade 2021, Glasgow 2023, and Nanjing 2025), and 3 European golds and one indoor European title.

On Saturday at 6:25 PM, “Mondo” Duplantis will take to the runway to chase his fourth indoor world title and perhaps add a centimeter to his world record of 6.31 from Uppsala, continuing a progression that began in 2020 right in Torun with his first world record of 6.17.

ITALY WITH RECORD NUMBERS (13 MEN AND 13 WOMEN) AND MANY STARS

In Torun, 26 Italians (13 men and 13 women) will compete, the same number as the record edition of 1997 in Paris. An Italian team with many stars, including the medalists from the 2024 Olympic Games and the 2025 World Championships, led by the world long jump champion Mattia Furlani, competing after a remarkable 2025: double indoor world gold in Nanjing and outdoor in Tokyo.

Mattia Furlani (Fiamme Oro)

NADIA BATTOCLETTI QUEEN OF DISTANCE, FABBRI LEADER

On the track will be the queen of distance Nadia Battocletti, Olympic and World silver medalist in the 10,000, bronze medalist in the 5000, and multiple European champion, it is her first time at an indoor World Championship, starting Saturday at 7:04 PM in the 3000 meters final. In the triple jump, Andy Diaz the reigning indoor world champion after the gold in Nanjing, and alongside him will be Tokyo 2025 World silver medalist Andrea Dallavalle, while in the women's long jump Larissa Iapichino, indoor European champion, will compete. In the shot put Leonardo Fabbri, world bronze medalist, is the current seasonal leader with a mark of 22.50.

Nadia Battocletti gold at the Cross Country Europeans

Leonardo Fabbri leader in the shot put

Larissa Iapichino in action

SPEED: AMAZING DOSSO

In the sprints, we rely on the 60 meters with world silver medalist Zaynab Dosso, leading the yearly lists along with Olympic 100 champion, the sprinter from Saint Lucia Julien Alfred (6.99). In the hurdles, Lorenzo Simonelli, silver medalist from two years ago in Glasgow, aims for the podium. Making her absolute National debut in the 60 meters is the very young Kelly Doualla, the youngest Italian ever at a World Championship: on Saturday, the day of her race, she will be 16 years and 121 days.

In the men's 1500, two Italians will compete, outdoor champion Pietro Arese and indoor champion Federico Riva, a duo that will try to win a historic medal that has been missing for Italy in this event. 

The very young blue Kelly Ann Doualla in action

ON THE TRACK THE ETNEO FILIPPO RANDAZZO

One Sicilian in blue, the Etnean Filippo Randazzo, who after successes in the long jump and nine Italian titles in the long jump, won the 10th absolute tricolor in the 60 meters last February in Ancona, a sort of definitive transition to sprinting that he decided to undertake in 2024 due to too many physical problems in the long jump. Filippo Randazzo, an Etnean from San Cono, trains in Catania with the group of Prof. Filippo Di Mulo, who is responsible for the blue sprint team in Torun.

Filippo Randazzo won his 10th career tricolor title last February (9 in the long jump and 1 in the 60)

Prof. Filippo Di Mulo, from Catania, responsible for the blue speed team

“Filippo Randazzo is doing well - says Prof. Di Mulo - although unfortunately due to the bad weather we missed some training sessions. We will need to get through the first round and then give our best in the semifinals.”

Filippo Randazzo has improved this year in the 60 meters with a time of 6”59 achieved in Paris, and in Torun he will make his debut on Friday at 10:20 in the heats alongside Simone Ceccarelli, European champion in Istanbul. Semifinals at 20:16 and final at 21:22.