The Swede broke his own pole vault world record to become the first man at 6m20. But is he really human?
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“Mondo” Duplantis continues to improve the pole vault world record. Here he is at 6m20, a benchmark achieved in Belgrade on Sunday during the world championships. (Photo by Pedja Milosavljevic / AFP)
It is free Mondo. Some even saw it fly this Sunday in Belgrade! The Swedish Armand Duplantis improved his world record in the pole vault by crossing a bar at 6.20 m to afford a first indoor world title. The Swede’s previous world record (6.19m) was set two weeks ago in the same hall. The Olympic champion was crowned ahead of the Brazilian Thiago Braz (5.95 m) and the American Chris Nilsen (5.90 m).
After two totally missed tries, Duplantis erased the bar at 6.20m on his 3rd and last attempt, capsizing the Stark Arena in the Serbian capital. It is the third time that Duplantis has improved a world record, which he snatched from Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie in February 2020.
Olympic champion (2021) and European outdoor champion (2018) as well as indoors (2021), the Swedish prodigy (22 years old) had never before been crowned at a world meeting. He will try this summer in Eugene (July 15-24) to grab the gold medal at the Outdoor Worlds, the only one now missing from his already well-stocked list.