When Emmanouil Karalis soared to an Olympic bronze medal in Paris, it was a life-changing moment for the Greek pole vault star.
Now, as he prepares to face off with world record holder Armand “Mondo” Duplantis at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Stockholm on June 15, Karalis reflects on how that podium finish transformed his career and mindset.
In a pre-meeting press conference, Karalis shared how his achievement in Paris has fueled his ambition.
“I mean, as a Greek, going to the Olympics is already a big thing. And getting a medal, getting a bronze medal, it changed my life. It’s been a blessing to be Greek and being able to get a medal in Paris. That fueled me up. I have more motivation to jump higher. I want to win more medals now, and I just want to be the best version of myself and see how far I can go as an athlete and as a person,” he said.
The 24-year-old has been in impressive form this season, recently clearing a personal best of 6.01m at the Diamond League meeting in Keqiao. He also finished second in Oslo, registering 5.82m behind Duplantis, who secured victory with a commanding 6.15m jump.
Karalis’ track record continues to grow stronger. Beyond his Olympic bronze in Paris, he claimed silver medals at the 2019 and 2021 European Athletics U23 Championships, and narrowly missed the podium with a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Earlier this year, he added a European Indoor Championships gold to his collection, sharing the top spot with the Netherlands’ Menno Vloon.
Saturday’s showdown in Stockholm promises to be another electric chapter in Karalis’ blossoming career. With Duplantis competing on home soil and the rest of the elite field vying for vital Diamond League points ahead of the series final in Zurich this August, the men’s pole vault is set to be one of the highlights of the evening.
And for Karalis, it’s about much more than medals now, it’s about discovering his limits.
“I’m really blessed that I’m here. And as I said, tomorrow is going to be a great show. Everyone’s going to have fun, and hopefully we all jump high,” he added with a smile.
The Wanda Diamond League remains the pinnacle of one-day meetings in global athletics, with 15 of the sport’s most prestigious events leading to the season-ending finals in Zurich on August 27-28, 2025. For Karalis, every meeting offers another chance to chase new heights, both literally and figuratively.
