Mondo Duplantis: "My whole life, i wanted that moment right there"
Mondo Duplantis (SWE) set a new pole vault world record of 6.17m in Torun, Poland. European champion in 2018 and still only 20 years old, this has been the perfect start to Olympic year for Duplantis who is now the hot favourite to take gold at Tokyo 2020.
"It's something that I wanted since I was three years old. It's a big year, but it's a good way to start it." – he told World Athletics.
Duplantis just brushed off the bar with his first effort, but felt sure he would clear it before the night was out.
"After that first attempt, I thought, 'Yeah, I just need two more attempts at this and I got it'. I was pretty confident that I had it."
And on his second attempt, he feathered the bar again but this time it stayed in place to secure him his place in the history books.
Seoul 1988 gold medallist and six-time world champion Sergey Bubka was the first man to clear six metres and broke the pole vault world record 17 times in the 1980s and 90s. He still holds the outdoor best of 6.14m, although Duplantis now has the absolute world record with indoor marks given the same status as outdoor vaults in 2000.
He was quick to congratulate young Swede.