The bar keeps rising for Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, and somehow he keeps soaring over it. On a special night in Uppsala, the Swedish superstar broke the pole vault world record for the 15th time, clearing 6.31 metres at the Mondo Classic, an event that fittingly carries his name.
Inside the IFU Arena, anticipation hung in the air long before Duplantis made his final attempt. The 26-year-old had already cleared 5.65m, 5.90m and 6.08m with ease, each jump completed on the first try. Then came the moment everyone waited for, the bar lifted 23 centimetres higher to a new world record height.
Duplantis sprinted down the runway, planted the pole and launched into the air with trademark precision. Seconds later he dropped onto the mat, the bar still perfectly balanced behind him. The crowd erupted as history was made once again.
“I am so proud to have been able to do this in front of you,” Duplantis told the crowd. “I jump for myself, I jump for my family, but I also jump for you, for Sweden, and for everyone who supports me.”
The achievement extended Duplantis’ remarkable winning streak to 38 consecutive pole vault competitions, a run that dates back to August 2023. In modern athletics, dominance rarely looks this effortless.
His journey to the top has been methodical. Since first breaking the record in 2020, Duplantis has improved it by exactly one centimetre each time, a strategy that mirrors the approach used decades ago by Ukrainian legend Sergey Bubka.
Bubka raised the record 35 times during the 1980s and 1990s, but athletics rules changed in 2000 to combine indoor and outdoor marks into a single record. That shift makes Duplantis’ steady march through the heights even more remarkable in the modern era.
Technically, the Swede is almost the perfect vaulter. His explosive runway speed generates huge kinetic energy, while his take-off mechanics allow him to convert that speed into vertical lift.
Rivals often point to his sprinting ability as the key difference. Duplantis even uses specially designed spikes for world-record attempts, with a unique hooked spike in the forefoot to maximise traction and acceleration.
Yet talent alone does not explain the phenomenon. Duplantis grew up in Louisiana with a pole vault pit in his backyard, coached by his parents Greg and Helena, both deeply rooted in the sport.
The results speak loudly. Two Olympic gold medals, three world outdoor titles, and now fifteen world records.
Next week he heads to the World Indoor Championships in Poland chasing a fourth straight title. For Duplantis, however, the challenge is no longer beating his rivals.
It is beating gravity itself.
