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Greek athlete registers new youth indoors pole vault world record

Greek athlete Emmanouil Karalis, 16, broke the world record in indoor pole vault in his age category during a sports event at Athens’ Peace and Friendship Stadium on Saturday, with 5.53 meters in his first attempt.

Karalis beat a record that was almost 12 years old (since May 2004), and finished third in the national championship behind champion Costas Filippidis, who cleared 5.70 m. and Dimitris Patsoukakis, who also made 5.53 m.

The performance was cheered by crowds at the stadium and especially the athletes’ academies which had set up their own support group.

President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Sports Minister Stavros Kontonis congratulated Karalis in messages released on Sunday.

The record renders Karalis the favorite for the European Junior Outdoor Championships to take place this summer in Tbilisi.