Mondo Duplantis: “I would like to be the best pole vaulter of all time”

In Uppsala in Sweden, during a sports meeting that bears his name, the Mondo Classic, world record holder Armand Duplantis crossed the bar of 6.31 m on his first attempt, which is now the new world record. It’s number 15^e time he beats his own record, he who dethroned Renaud Lavillenie in 2020 by crossing the barrier of 6.17 m.

The question we ask ourselves is: how far can it go? Because the pole vaulter, at 26 years old, can still envisage a long career and reach even greater heights. His father Greg, himself a former pole vaulter, mentioned the 6.40 m mark according to AFP.

Immediately after this feat, he declared “I’m so proud to have been able to do it in front of you. I jump for myself, I jump for my family, but I also jump for you, for Sweden and for everyone who supports me. »

An extraordinary journey

Born in Lafayette, Louisiana to an American father and a Swedish mother, Armand Duplantis won his first sporting titles under the colors of Sweden: Olympic champion, European and world champion. He continues to improve his world record, as he did during the Paris Olympic Games by passing the 6.25 meter mark.

But you don’t achieve such records without high-level physical and mental preparation. In 2023, Mondo Duplantis was featured on the York-Peter Kloppel podcast, Mind Set Win and he confided in his vision of his sport. His testimony, along with that of other great international champions, can be read in the book The mental keys of great champions (to be published in April 2026).

Read: Ironman des sables: d’Olonne: how I beat my record

The secret of an extraordinary mind

Mondo didn’t always have confidence in himself. He admits it was sports that helped him develop a growth mindset. “Sport is a source of many great lessons, including, of course, the importance of preparationhe said at the microphone of York-Peter Kloppel. You can’t really expect something to go well if you don’t prepare for it, regardless of discipline. We must train our body and mind to obey our desires. »

In this interview, he gives advice that everyone can apply in their daily life to overcome their limits and achieve ambitious goals. “You also need to know what you want to do and set goals to achieve it, he said. The only thing that matters is being realistic with yourself. And, sometimes, things don’t go as planned. But in my opinion, it’s good to have big dreams and try to make them come true, otherwise you’ll never know how far you can go. »

As for him, his objectives were very clear in his mind: “I would like to be the best pole vaulter of all time, and I think I can do it,” he asserted. This latest record is the best proof of that.

To find out more: The mental keys of great champions