Conversations with Larry: European Athletics Champs Day Six, Session Two, Part 1/4: Celebrating Mondo Duplantis, his two WU20 records and his pole vault gold medal!

Well, here it is. This is Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, Sweden, clearing 6.05 meters (19ft10 1/4″). With this vault, he breaks the U20 World Record, wins the 2018 European Championship and gets the world leading mark. This vault also equals the 2nd highest outdoor vault in history, shared with world record holder Renaud Lavillenie. Yes, he is 18 years old. This is also his entrance into the 6 meter club. This was his first try at this height after clearing 6.00m. What a night for pole vault history! Side note … about a half an hour before the start of the event, I shared a few words with Mondo and told him to have fun! He said, ” yeah, but first things first.” Hey @mondo_duplantis , was it fun? 👍😃 #Champ . . . . . . . Larger image at Trackandfieldimage.com . . . . . #mondoduplantis #armandduplantis #jeffcohenphoto #europeanchampionships #berlin2018 #europeanathletics #europeanchampion #polevault #athletics #trackandfield #worldrecordholder #sweden #lsu @berlin.2018 @iaaf_athletics @europeanathletics @lsutrackfield

A post shared by jeffcohenphoto Track and Field (@jeffcohenphoto) on Aug 12, 2018 at 5:05pm PDT

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Mondo Duplantis had one of the finest pole vault competitions in history. He made nine attempts, and he cleared 8 times. At 5.50m, 5.65m, 5.85m, 5.90m, 5.95m, 6.00m, 6.05m Mondo cleared all on his first attempts.

Timur Morganov, ANA, cleared 6 meters for the first time.

Mondo Duplantis, photo by PhotoRun.net

Renaud Lavillenie, the world record holder, the Olympic, World and European Champion, showed his complete class, in complementing Mondo and embracing him after his clearance. Lavillenie, Duplantis and Kendricks (the American) are gladiators of the sky. Renaud realizes that Mondo just became a member of the six meter club twice in one day!

Thanks to Jeff Cohen, the photographer, for captureing both the jump and Mondo and Renaud’s admiration of each other. That is the lesson of this fine competition.

What you didn’t see from last night was this. Mentor, apprentice, friendship. The connection that these two have on the field during competition is beautiful to watch. The lion and the cub. Renaud Lavillenie, France, World Record Holder, and Mondo Duplantis, Sweden, U20 World Record Holder. #polevault . . . . . Trackandfieldimage.com . . . . . . #renaudlavillenie #mondoduplantis #armandduplantis #jeffcohenphoto #polevault #athletics #trackandfield #tracknation #berlin2018 #europeanchampionships #europeanathletics #sportsmanship #mentorandstudent #worldrecordholder #olympicchampion @airlavillenie @mondo_duplantis @berlin.2018 @europeanathletics

A post shared by jeffcohenphoto Track and Field (@jeffcohenphoto) on Aug 13, 2018 at 12:53am PDT