“Duplantis Sets New Pole Vault World Record on Route to Gold Medal”
Armand Duplantis Breaks Pole Vault World Record and Wins Gold
“Duplantis Sets New Pole Vault World Record on Route to Gold Medal” Sweden’s Armand Duplantis soared to a new world record of 6.25m en route to winning gold in the men’s pole vault. The 24-year-old, who had already claimed successive Olympic titles by clearing six metres, set a new Olympic record of 6.10m on his subsequent attempt.
Duplantis, who had previously set the world record of 6.24m in April, improved his own mark by one centimetre on his third and final attempt, thrilling the crowd at the Stade de France. This achievement marks the ninth time the two-time world champion has broken the pole vault record.
As the first athlete to successfully defend the pole vault title since American Bob Richards in 1952 and 1956, Duplantis celebrated by rushing to his friends and family before taking a victory lap around the track, wrapped in the Swedish flag, while Abba’s “Dancing Queen” played through the stadium speakers.
Reflecting on his historic moment, Duplantis said, “I haven’t processed how fantastic that moment was. It’s one of those things that you don’t really feel is real. It’s such an out-of-body experience. My biggest dream as a kid was to break the world record at the Olympics, and I’ve been able to do that in front of the most incredible crowd I’ve ever competed in front of. The party is going to be pretty big. Not that much sleep, a lot of partying, a good time.”
In the competition, American Sam Kendricks secured silver with a height of 5.95m, while Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis took bronze on countback with a best of 5.90m.
‘He breaks world records when he wants’
Armand Duplantis: The Pole Vaulting Sensation Continues to Shatter Records
Paris served as just the latest stage for the extraordinary Armand Duplantis, who first set a pole vault world record of 6.16m in Poland in February 2020. Within a week, he broke his own record again in Glasgow, and he has surpassed it on six additional occasions before these Olympics.
Duplantis’s achievements in pole vaulting are unparalleled since the era of Sergey Bubka, who broke the world record 17 times between 1984 and 1994. As the American-born athlete continues to push the boundaries of the sport, he is on track to become one of track and field’s all-time greats.
Throughout his record-setting journey, Duplantis has captivated fans and competitors alike. At the Stade de France, even his rivals cheered him on during his attempts, reflecting the deep respect he commands in the athletics community. BBC Sport pundit Dame Denise Lewis observed, “You can see that they are a band of brothers, all willing him on. They were chanting ‘Mondo! Mondo!’ because they just know this is the best they have ever seen.”
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Johnson added, “You know when Mondo Duplantis is competing, you are always on world record watch. He essentially breaks world records when he wants. He has broken world records at world championships and European championships, but this is the Olympics. He loves the big moments and big stages.”
A Legacy of Records
At just 24 years old, Duplantis boasts a remarkable history of setting world records from a young age. The son of former pole vaulter Greg, who competed against Bubka in the 1980s and 90s, and Swedish heptathlete Helena, Duplantis began breaking records as early as under seven years old. He set world records in every age category up to senior levels, with a brief hiatus during his teenage years, which he described as “awkward ages.”
By age 17, Duplantis had already surpassed his father Greg’s personal best of 5.80m. He broke the senior world record for the first time at age 20, overtaking a mark set by France’s Renaud Lavillenie that had stood for nearly six years. Since then, Duplantis has incrementally improved the record, reaching 6.17m in Poland and now 6.25m.
For perspective, the world record previously advanced by just one centimetre over a span of 23 years, from Bubka’s 6.07m in 1991 to Lavillenie’s 6.16m in 2014.
As Duplantis continues to push the limits of what is possible in pole vaulting, the question remains: how much higher will he go? Only time will tell.
