The pole vaulter they call “Mondo” truly knows how to captivate an audience. On an electrifying evening at the Stade de France, with 80,000 spectators holding their breath, Armand Duplantis delivered a performance for the ages.
With the rest of the Olympic track events concluded, all eyes turned to Duplantis. Resting his pole on his right shoulder, the 24-year-old took a deep breath. Then, with a determined sprint down the runway, he propelled himself into the night sky.
Having already secured the Olympic gold medal, Duplantis wasn’t done making history. As he cleared the bar set at an astonishing 6.25 meters, he not only clinched victory but also shattered his own world record for the ninth time—this time on the sport’s grandest stage.
The crowd erupted as he landed, and Duplantis sprinted towards the stands to embrace his girlfriend, sharing the moment with friends and family draped in Sweden’s yellow and blue. Even the country’s king and queen were present to witness their nation’s latest triumph.
“It’s hard to understand, honestly,” Duplantis said, beaming. “If I don’t beat this moment in my career, then I’m pretty OK with that. I don’t think you can get much better than what just happened.”
Fellow competitors acknowledged his extraordinary talent. American pole vaulter Sam Kendricks, who finished second, remarked, “Mondo is an extraordinary jumper because of four factors. One, he’s got a great coach for a long time. He’s had a lot of time to do it. He’s got great equipment and understanding of the event. He’s a fan of sport, and he’s got God’s hand on his back.”
By securing his second consecutive Olympic gold and breaking the world record for the ninth time—each time by a mere centimeter—Duplantis has solidified his place alongside legends like Sergei Bubka, if not surpassed them, as one of the greatest pole vaulters in history.
Reference(s):
Armand Duplantis breaks own pole vault record, wins Olympic gold
cgtn.com
