Greg Duplantis (father and coach) and Mondo Duplantis, photo by PhotoRun.net
Mondo continues his assault on the U20 pole vault records. Will Mondo be the next superstar in European athletics? Here’s a story from European athletics.
On the road to the Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships, Sweden’s Armand Duplantis is putting himself in an amazing position to win a medal after yet another record-breaking pole vault performance on Saturday (5).
Duplantis, 18, broke the world U20 record for the second time in just over a month and what an emotional time it was for him as he achieved his success in Lafayette in his last competition for the Lafayette High School.
Having cleared 5.92m at the Texas Relays in Austin last month, the American-based vaulter increased the mark by a centimetre at the LHSAA Outdoor Championships.
On a cloudy day and in front of a big crowd, Duplantis had much to spare as cleared 5.93m, showing the crowd his top with the name of the Lafayette on his singlet.
“I could not have written it better,” said Duplantis. “That was my last jump in a Lafayette uniform. I am going to end perfectly.”
He achieved it with his first attempt, having gone over at 5.45m with his second attempt and 5.82m at the first.
The IAAF World U20 Championships take place in Tampere, Finland in July where the title is his to lose. He is now a clear second on this year’s world lists behind France’s Renaud Lavillenie who leads the world lists with 5.95m.
