by Larry Eder
Mondo Duplantis entertained his Swedish countrypeople with a tremendous series of pole vault clearances, and a visual testament to the world on just how dominating the young Swede is in the pole vault.
This is how the pole vault played out:
Both Ben Broaders, BEL, and Sondre Guttorsmen, NOR (and NCAA PV champ) cleared 5.40m and 5.63m on their first attempts. Ben Broeders passed at 5.73m, and while the young Norweigian did not clear 5.73m on three attempts and was out, finishing 7th.
Broeders made three attempts at 5.83m and finished 6h.
Philippine NR holder Ernest John Obiena, with a PB of 5.93m, cleared 5.m on attempt 1, two attempts at 5.63m and then cleared 5.73m on his first attempt. Obiena finished 5th when he did not clear 5.83m on his first attempt.
Super veteran, Olympic champ, Euro champ, former WR holder Renaud Lavillenie, FRA, passed 5.40m , cleared 5.63m on his first attempt, passed 5.73m, and then, cleared 5.83m on his second attempt. Renaud was quite happy with his 5.83m clearance. Renaud Lavillenie missed three times at 5.93m, finishing fifth, tying with Obiena.
Pal Hogen Lillefosse, Norway, had a challenging day. He took two attempts at 5.40m, cleared 5.63m on his first attempt, took 3 attempts, and cleared 5.73m on a gutty third try, then, cleared 5.83m on his first attempt. Like many in the field, 5.93m was his nemesis, and he missed 3 times at that height, 5.93m. Pal Hogen Lillefosse finished 4th.
Rio Olympic champ, Tokyo Olympic bronze, Thiago Braz, BRA, had a good day. Thiago took two attempts to clear 5.43m. The two-time Olympic medalist, Thiago Braz cleared 5.63m and 5.73m on his first attempts. Thiago is one tough vaulter, first, he took three attempts to clear 5.83m and two attempts to clear 5.93m. Thiago Braz went out at 6.03m, missing all three attempts, giving Mondo some challenges! Thiago finished third. A fun fact with Thiago Braz, he made 12 attempts this season, and he looked pretty good trying 6.03m, a height he achieved when taking gold in Rio in 2016, just six years ago, before 52,000 of his countrymen at the Stadio Engenhao.
Olympic silver medalist and World Indoor champ bronze medalist, Chris Nilsen, wanted to challenge Mondo Duplantis today.
Chris Nilsen went in at 5.40m, clearing on the first attempt. The US champion (he just won last weekend in Eugene), then cleared, on first attempts 5.63m, and 5.73m. It took Chris two attempts at 5.83m. The young American cleared 5.93m on his first attempt (Mondo and Thiago were still in at that time).
Chris missed 6.03m on all three attempts and thanked the crowd, and Chris Nilsen finished second in the competition.
And now, for Mondo Duplantis.
Mondo Duplantis opened at 5.83m, clearing on his first attempt. The Swedish superstar then went to 5.93m, which he also cleared on his first attempt. At 5.93m, Mondo had the company of Thiago Braz, Olympic gold and silver, BRA, and Chris Nilsen, Olympic silver, USA.
Then, Mondo cleared 6.03m, a new meet record, on his first attempt. Both Thiago Braz and Chris Nilsen missed on their three attempts at the 6.03 m height.
Mondo Duplantis passed at 6.08 meters and moved to 6.16 meters.
On his first attempt, Mondo did not clear the height. A swear word might have been said when he landed. When Mondo replays the vaults in his head, it seems as if he knows what to correct, and it is fascinating to observe.
On his second attempt, Mondo Duplantis cleared 6.16 meters or 20 feet, 2.52 inches. He was way over the bar in height, but he did jiggle it a bit on the way down. The Swedish crowd went bonkers, and Mondo was running around everywhere. The TV broadcast showed his father, Greg Duplantis, elated over the clearance.
Mondo Duplantis set the unofficial world outdoor record (he has cleared 6.20 meters indoors and his previous outdoor PB was 6.15 meters). Mondo also set the meet record, World leader, a national record of Sweden, and stadium record as well.
This is what the happy Swede had to say to the media and fans, post-event:
“It feels quite OK, I cannot complain. It is extra special – I wanted to come here today and try to do something special. I felt I was in shape and that I have great support here in Stockholm, where I live now, so that means so extra much. I had a huge advantage of competing on my home turf. It is hard to describe it really. You kind of black out there. I just remember I was trying to focus really hard to not hitting the bar. And once when I did, I was over the bar and then I just started to run like an idiot. I think it was good timing. This is the time I wanted to be in my best shape. I feel like I am definitely in shape to win my title and maybe to do something special in Eugene.
I am in great shape and it is all about building to the world champs. I don´t really feel the pressure; only the pressure I put on myself. I think I could go high in Oregon and it is important to be in my best shape there. Today was a confirmation that I can do it. ”
Today, Mondo Duplantis showed, once again, that he is the most dominating athlete in his event in the world. He is both a super athlete and a sports icon. His sponsors, Red Bull and PUMA running are surely getting their money’s worth.
His fluency in Swedish and his love of his home country translate to his Swedish fans (Mondo’s father is an American pole vaulter, and his mother, Swedish, was a heptathlete). Mondo is a total rock star in Sweden, and he wanted to go high in Stockholm, at the Bauhaus Meeting, in the historic 1912 Olympic Stadium.
Next stop for Mondo Duplantis? The World Outdoor Championships, July 15-24, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon.
