Mondo Duplantis soars to Paris 2024 pole vault gold and breaks own world record
Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis has done it again.
The Swedish pole vaulter flew over the bar at a new world record height of 6.25m, having already secured Paris 2024 gold earlier in the evening on Monday, 5 August with a vault of 6.00m.
This is the ninth time Duplantis has broken the world record, beating the mark of 6.24m he set in the Xiamen Diamond League in April this year.
“I haven’t processed how fantastic that moment was," he said after his historic jump. "It’s one of those things that don’t really feel real, such an out-of-body experience. It’s still hard to kind of land right now.
"What can I say? I just broke a world record at the Olympics, the biggest possible stage for a pole vaulter. [My] biggest dream since a kid was to break the world record at the Olympics, and I’ve been able to do that in front of the most ridiculous crowd I’ve ever competed in front of.”
The crowd he spoke of in the Stade de France has become used to breathtaking moments at these Olympics, but few can compare to this mammoth effort from Duplantis.
As chants of “Mondo, Mondo, Mondo” rang around the stadium, Duplantis did what he does best, first breaking the Olympic record with a jump of 6.10m and then raising the bar higher to 6.25m.
As he flew over the bar, he was met with roars from across the masses of people inside the Stade de France who had witnessed the greatest jump — and jumper — in history.
“I tried to clear my thoughts as much as I could," he said of the momentous reception he received from the stands. "The crowd was going crazy. It was so loud in there, it sounded like an American football game. I have a little bit of experience being in a 100,000-capacity stadium, but I was never the centre of attention. [I was] just trying to channel the energy everybody was giving me, and they were giving me a lot of it. It worked out.”
With the screams of joy from the crowd only matched by Duplantis' own, the 24-year-old jumped from the mat and straight into the arms of his loved ones.
On a night filled with unforgettable moments, this is one that will be talked about for years to come.
His gold medal in Paris continues his incredible streak at major international outdoor championships, which has seen him win gold at the past three worlds and — after Monday — the last two Olympic Games.
Sam Kendricks of the USA won silver with a jump of 5.95m and Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis took bronze (5.90m).
How high can the king of pole vault go?
The last person other than Duplantis to break the pole vault world record was France's Renaud Lavillenie all the way back in 2014.
A full six years later in 2020 the age of 'Mondo' began.
Duplantis has now set new world records on nine separate occasions, each time moving the bar up just a single centimetre.
Could he go even higher?
For now, he is just focused on enjoying the moment, as he soaks in a victory that combines his best-ever performance with a shining Olympic gold won in front of his friends, family and an incredible Paris crowd.
“I think I can do it again, but I don’t really care right now," he said. "I’m so happy, I’m going to enjoy this very much. I’ve got my family here, my girl here, some of my best friends here.
"I’m going to enjoy the heck out of this. I don’t care about anything except the present moment right now.”
Paris 2024 athletics: Men’s pole vault podium
Gold: Armand Duplantis (Sweden)
Silver: Sam Kendricks (USA)
Bronze: Emmanouil Karalis (Greece)