In the Xiamen Diamond League meeting, Armand “Mondo” Duplantis from Sweden put on a remarkable performance and broke his own pole vault world record. The event took place at the Egret Stadium where Duplantis cleared 6.24 meters on his first attempt, surpassing his previous record set in Eugene the previous year by 1cm. This marks the eighth time Duplantis has broken his own record, each time by an increase of 1cm since his first record-breaking performance in 2020 in Torun, Poland.
Duplantis expressed his excitement about beginning his season in China and highlighted his victory at the world indoor championships in Glasgow last month with a 6.10m clearance. The 24-year-old athlete originally from the United States started the competition at 5.62m and advanced through 5.82m and 6.00m before achieving the new world record. American pole vaulter Sam Hendricks, who finished second with a 5.82m clearance, praised Duplantis for his hard work and success. Hendricks acknowledged Duplantis as a true champion and expressed joy in being second place behind the world record holder. He noted Duplantis’ dedication and journey to becoming the champion he is today, emphasizing the high regard in which Duplantis is held among his peers in the sport.
At only eight years old, Armand “Mondo” Duplantis discovered that he had a natural talent for pole vaulting after watching it during a school field day event. His parents encouraged him to pursue it further and enrolled him into a local club where he began training under coach Patrik Sjöberg – one of Sweden’s most successful coaches of all time.
Duplantis quickly made a name for himself in pole vaulting circles after breaking through with an impressive performance at age just nine when he won gold at Swedish national championships.
As he grew older, he continued to make strides in the sport but also faced setbacks along the way including injury concerns that threatened to derail his career.
However, with unwavering determination and support from those around him, including coach Sjöberg who was instrumental in helping him overcome these challenges,
Duplantis has continued to push himself to new limits both physically and mentally.
In recent years, he has become known not only for breaking records but also for being an inspiration to aspiring athletes around the world who look up to him as a role model.
At this year’s Xiamen Diamond League meeting, Armand “Mondo” Duplantis once again proved why he is considered one of if not THE greatest pole vaulters of all time as he broke yet another world record with an impressive display of skill and athleticism on full showcase.