The pole vaulter known as “Mondo” truly knows how to put on a show.
As the Olympic track events for the evening concluded and the crowd of 80,000 at the Stade de France remained on its feet, Armand Duplantis readied himself. With the pole resting on his right shoulder, he took a deep breath, lifted the carbon fiber pole, and sprinted down the runway into the night sky.
Having already secured another Olympic gold medal, Duplantis cleared 6.25 meters to break the world record for the ninth time, but for the first time on the sport’s grandest stage.
After his record-breaking leap, the 24-year-old Louisiana-born athlete, who competes for Sweden, celebrated with his girlfriend and family, all wearing yellow and blue. Even Sweden’s king and queen were present to witness the historic moment.
“It’s hard to understand, honestly,” Duplantis said. “If I don’t beat this moment in my career, I’m OK with that. I don’t think you can get much better than what just happened.”
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American Sam Kendricks, who finished second, praised Duplantis: “Mondo is an extraordinary jumper because of four factors.
He’s had a great coach for a long time, plenty of time to practice, excellent equipment, and a deep understanding of the event. He’s a fan of sport, and he’s got God’s hand on his back.”
By winning his second consecutive gold medal and breaking the world record for the ninth time, Duplantis stands alongside, if not above, Sergei Bubka as the greatest ever in pole vaulting.
Source: news.cgtn.com