Up, up & away: Pole vault stars stage backyard competition

Three of the world's top pole vaulters are staging a show from their own backyards.

After clearing the bar, maybe a barbecue?

The competition billed as the “ Ultimate Garden Clash ” will take place Sunday and be streamed on the World Athletics’ social media channels. It’s a rare sports event during the pandemic that’s postponed the Tokyo Games until 2021 and has the track and field schedule on hold.

FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2019, file photo, Sam Kendricks, of the United States, makes an attempt during the men's pole vault at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. The three biggest names in men’s pole vault will compete against each other from their own backyards, Sunday, May 3, 2020, in a rare sporting event during the coronavirus pandemic. Video links will connect world record holder Mondo Duplantis, world champion Sam Kendricks and former Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie. World Athletics calls it “The Ultimate Garden Clash” and will stream it on social media. (AP PhotoMorry Gash, File)

The showdown features Sweden's world record-holder Mondo Duplantis, who will be competing from his base in Louisiana. He will square off against two-time world champion Sam Kendricks, who will take part from Mississippi, and 2012 London Olympics champion Renaud Lavillenie, who's using his setup from his home in France.

The trio collaborated on the competition format. Instead of the winner being the one who clears the highest bar, they will see who can vault over 5 meters (16 feet) the most times in a 30-minute span. The athletes agreed on the format since adjusting the bar is not practical without officials in place.

“I’m ecstatic to be able to compete again, especially against Sam and Renaud,” Duplantis said in a statement Friday. “Since it’s unknown what other competitions we will all have together, we definitely are going to enjoy this and have a good time with it. Also, winning this is crucial because I don’t like losing to them very much.”

FILE - In this March 8, 2019, file photo, LSU's Mondo Duplantis competes in the men's pole vault during the NCAA Division I indoor track and field championships in Birmingham, Ala. The three biggest names in men’s pole vault will compete against each other from their own backyards, Sunday, May 3, 2020, in a rare sporting event during the coronavirus pandemic. Video links will connect world record holder Mondo Duplantis, world champion Sam Kendricks and former Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie. World Athletics calls it “The Ultimate Garden Clash” and will stream it on social media. (AP PhotoVasha Hunt, File)

Duplantis figures to be the favorite. After all, he broke Lavillenie’s world record in February. He cleared 6.17 meters (20-2 3⁄4) and then 6.18 (20-3 1⁄4) on consecutive weekends.

Then again, the uniqueness makes it anyone’s competition.

“The challenge is we don’t know what it will take to win, so it will be hard to gauge our effort,” Kendricks said. “I know that it doesn’t matter what we are doing together. We each want to win.”

FILE - In this March 4, 2018, file photo, France's Renaud Lavillenie clears the bar in the men's pole vault final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Britain. The three biggest names in men’s pole vault will compete against each other from their own backyards, Sunday, May 3, 2020, in a rare sporting event during the coronavirus pandemic. Video links will connect world record holder Mondo Duplantis, world champion Sam Kendricks and former Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie. World Athletics calls it “The Ultimate Garden Clash” and will stream it on social media.(AP PhotoMatt Dunham, File)

The pole-vault setups for each are definitely one of a kind. In a promotional video, Kendricks’ landing mat looks nestled among the trees, while Lavillenie’s appears located next to a playhouse and a trampoline. In a recent video posted by sponsor Puma, Duplantis’ pole-vaulting platform is situated by a bush-lined brick wall.

One thing's the same: All three want to clear that bar as many times as possible.

“This is a superb opportunity to see the best jumpers in a new competition format showing their love for their sport with a competition when most other sports are off,” Lavillenie said. “And because we are all at home, we have no excuses to miss this international home competition.”

This could be the start of a trend. World Athletics will look into holding “Ultimate Garden Clash” competitions in other events.

At the moment, nine competitions in the 15-meet Diamond League season have either been postponed, rescheduled or minimized.

The Bislett Games in Oslo on June 11 has been rebranded as the “Impossible Games” and turned into an exhibition event. Organizers have said the meet would still offer prize money from a $50,000 contribution by World Athletics. It will feature Norwegian 400-meter hurdles world champion Karsten Warholm attempting a world record in the rarely raced 300 hurdles.

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FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys fired first-year defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus on Tuesday after they allowed the most points and intercepted the fewest passes in franchise history.

It’s the second consecutive season in which Eberflus has been fired. He was let go midseason in 2024, his third year as head coach of the Chicago Bears.

Eberflus made it to the end of the season in his return to Dallas, where he had been an assistant from 2011-17 before going to Indianapolis as defensive coordinator. But the 55-year-old’s fate appeared sealed before Sunday’s finale, a 34-17 loss at the New York Giants that set a club record as the ninth game of allowing at least 30 points.

“Having known Matt Eberflus for decades now, we have tremendous respect and appreciation for him as a coach and a person," owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “After reviewing and discussing the results of our defensive performance this season, though, it was clear that change is needed. This is the first step in that process, and we will continue that review as it applies to reaching our much higher expectations.”

The departure of Eberflus means the Cowboys will have their fourth defensive coordinator in four seasons, following Dan Quinn in 2023, Mike Zimmer last year and Eberflus. Dallas’ past five defensive coordinators have been former NFL head coaches.

The Cowboys (7-9-1) finished last in the NFL in scoring defense and passing defense and 30th overall, wasting one of quarterback Dak Prescott’s best seasons for the league’s No. 2 offense.

Dallas gave up 500 points for the first time in club history, allowing 511 for an average of 30.1. The only higher average was the 30.8 points per game given up by the franchise’s winless expansion team in 1960.

The defense’s six interceptions fell one short of the previous franchise low, and the 12 takeaways were the second fewest in club history. The Cowboys finished tied for 29th in the NFL with a minus-9 turnover margin.

Jones didn’t do Eberflus any favors by trading star pass rusher Micah Parsons a week before the season started.

One of the two first-round picks acquired from Green Bay in that deal led to a trade for standout defensive tackle Quinnen Williams of the New York Jets, a move that sparked a three-game winning streak under first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer.

Jones has said the most surprising moment of the season was the 44-30 loss at Detroit that ended the winning streak and sent the Cowboys tumbling to a 1-4 finish. Trailing most of the game, Dallas couldn’t get a fourth-quarter stop after trimming the deficit to three with 10 minutes remaining.

Dallas has consecutive losing seasons for the first time since the last of three in a row in 2002. The Cowboys had three straight 12-win playoff seasons from 2021-23 but just one postseason victory.

Schottenheimer replaced Mike McCarthy after a 7-10 finish in 2024, and the Cowboys went with a coach they knew to complement Schottenheimer, who calls the plays on offense.

The zone-heavy scheme under Eberflus never seemed to fit with personnel that was more familiar with man-to-man coverage, leading to blown assignments and plenty of open space in the secondary. Plus, the pass rush struggled without Parsons.

Eberflus moved to the coaching booth from the sideline with three games remaining, but the results didn’t change much.

“I don’t really think about it that way,” Eberflus said when asked before the season finale what he might have done differently. “I think about being in the moment and just keep adjusting and learning and growing and getting better. I don’t think I’d do anything differently.”

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FILE - Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus on the sidelines during a NFL football game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson, File)