Mondo Duplantis Shatters Pole Vault World Record to Claim Olympic Gold

Mondo Duplantis has shattered his own pole vault world record once more, this time at the Paris Olympics. The 24-year-old Louisiana native, who represents Sweden in international competitions, cleared a remarkable height of 6.25 meters (20 feet, 6 inches) on Monday night.

Duplantis achieved this feat on his third and final attempt, marking the ninth time in his career that he has set a new world record. However, this was his first time doing so at the Olympics, adding another layer of significance to the achievement. His streak of breaking records, usually by just one centimeter, began on February 8, 2020. His last record-setting performance occurred on April 20 in China.

Sam Kendricks of the United States secured the silver medal, while Greece’s Emmanouli Karalis took home the bronze. The competition took an interesting turn when Duplantis, already assured of gold after clearing 6.10 meters, decided to raise the bar by one more centimeter. After missing his initial attempt, he took a break to review video footage with his parents.

Despite two subsequent misses, the atmosphere remained electrifying. The crowd, including the royalty of Sweden, stayed engaged, singing along to the French anthem “Alleur de Feu” and clapping in unison. When Duplantis finally made his successful attempt, he sprinted towards the stands to celebrate, capping off an unforgettable night.