Twelve world records and countless breathtaking vaults later, Mondo Duplantis finally did what he’s long dreamed of, setting a new mark in front of his home fans in Sweden.
At Stockholm’s historic 1912 Olympic Stadium, Duplantis soared over 6.28 meters on his first attempt, rewriting his own world record once more. The two-time Olympic champion had spoken openly about wanting this moment in Sweden. And when it finally came, it was as much personal as it was historic.
“I really wanted to do it so badly,” he said, emotional in the aftermath. “I kept saying it was the only thing missing.” The roar of the Swedish crowd made it clear, this was more than a competition, it was a homecoming.
The 25-year-old, born and raised in Louisiana but competing for his mother’s native Sweden, has made a habit of defying gravity. This latest vault edged past his previous best of 6.27m, set just three months ago in France. Every single one of his 12 world records has raised the bar by exactly one centimeter.
There’s an echo of pole vault legend Sergey Bubka in his methodical approach. Like the Ukrainian great, Duplantis is carving his own era by maximizing progression, centimeter by centimeter. But unlike Bubka, Duplantis is doing it across continents, from Poland to China to the U.S. and now finally, Stockholm.
The emotional weight of this particular vault wasn’t lost on him. “The first time I jumped here, I was 11, in the rain, barely hitting four meters,” he recalled. “Now look at this.”
That memory made Sunday’s triumph all the more poignant. The fans, bundled under Swedish summer skies, erupted with every step of his run-up, their cheers propelling him skyward. When he cleared the bar, the celebration was immediate, raw, euphoric, and deeply patriotic.
Duplantis has lost just four times since 2020, an astonishing feat that underscores his dominance. But in a career filled with records, this one might stand alone, for its emotion, its setting, and its symbolism.
