Armand Duplantis solidifies legacy with world record gold

Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis once again demonstrated his pole vaulting mastery by breaking his own world record at the 2024 Paris Olympics, clearing 6.25 meters. This achievement came after he had landed the gold medal earlier that evening with a vault of 6.00 meters.
This new record marks the ninth time Duplantis has set a world record, surpassing his previous record of 6.24 meters set in the Xiamen Diamond League earlier in the year.
“I haven’t processed how fantastic that moment was,” he told Olympics.com after his historic jump. “It’s one of those things that don’t really feel real, such an out-of-body experience. It’s still hard to kind of land right now.”
Duplantis’ dominance in the sport is reminiscent of the legendary Sergey Bubka. Both athletes have continually pushed the boundaries of pole vaulting, with Bubka setting 17 outdoor world records between 1984 and 1994.
Bubka’s leap of six meters in 1985 was a milestone in the sport, and his technique, known as the “continuous chain” or “free takeoff,” revolutionized pole vaulting. Duplantis, similarly, has set multiple records by incremental improvements, often by just one centimeter at a time, mirroring Bubka’s methodical approach.
Born into a family of athletes, Duplantis began vaulting at the age of four, inspired by his father, a former pole vaulter. His natural talent and dedication have led him to achieve feats comparable to Bubka, who was a symbol of grace and power during the late Cold War era. Duplantis’ ability to combine technical precision with physical strength has made him a standout in the sport, much like Bubka.
During the Paris Olympics, Duplantis skipped the initial height of 5.50 meters, opting to start at higher heights where he quickly cleared 5.70 meters and 5.85 meters. His performance was so dominant that he made it look effortless, echoing Bubka’s fluid and robust style.
“I tried to clear my thoughts as much as I could,” he told Olympics.com. “The crowd was going crazy. It was so loud in there, it sounded like an American football game. I have a little bit of experience being in a 100,000-capacity stadium, but I was never the center of attention. [I was] just trying to channel the energy everybody was giving me, and they were giving me a lot of it. It worked out.”
At the Paris Games, Duplantis set a new Olympic record of 6.10 meters before attempting the world record height of 6.25 meters. Despite initial failures, he succeeded on his third attempt, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest pole vaulters in history.
“What can I say? I just broke a world record at the Olympics, the biggest possible stage for a pole vaulter. [My] biggest dream since a kid was to break the world record at the Olympics, and I’ve been able to do that in front of the most ridiculous crowd I’ve ever competed in front of.”