by Deji Ogeyingbo
Mondo Duplantis and the Art of Making History Look Easy
“Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.” Mondo Duplantis isn’t just rewriting the pole vault record books—he’s creating a new chapter where no one else can even turn the page. On Friday, February 28, 2025, in Clermont-Ferrand, France, the 24-year-old Olympic and world champion set his 11th world record, clearing 6.27 meters with an ease that almost made the impossible look routine.
His competitors? They’re fighting for second place in a race that was decided years ago. The next best jumper in history, France’s Renaud Lavillenie, topped out at 6.16 meters. That was the gold standard—until Duplantis came along and raised the bar, literally and figuratively. Now, the sport isn’t about who wins but how much higher Duplantis will go. And if history tells us anything, it’s that he’s not done yet.
Watching Duplantis in action is like watching a virtuoso at work. He entered the competition at 5.65 meters, clearing it with the same ease as a warmup jump. Then came 5.91 meters, 6.02 meters, and 6.07 meters, all conquered on his first attempt. And then, with the bar at 6.27 meters, he did what he’s done so many times before—sailed over it, untouched, and landed with a smile that said he wasn’t the least bit surprised.
At this point, the only real question is: How high can he go? The speculation isn’t unfounded. Given his rapid progression and technical mastery, 6.35 meters seems possible and probable. That would put him in a league of his own—not that he isn’t already. Duplantis has redefined pole vaulting in a way few athletes have ever transformed their sports. Think about Michael Jordan’s influence on basketball or Usain Bolt’s dominance in sprinting. The difference? Duplantis doesn’t even have a challenger. He is the standard.
In the eleventh world record of his career, @mondohoss600 continues to impress! On Feb. 28, Mondo cleared 6.27 meters ( 20 feet, 6.5 inches). Just how high will the Swedish superstar go? @PUMARunning, https://t.co/EGmn8Sx94L
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) March 5, 2025
It’s not just about how high he jumps but how he does it. Duplantis combines precision with raw athleticism, a rare mix of speed, strength, and near-perfect technique. His approach on the runway looks more like a sprinter in full flight than a vaulter preparing for takeoff. That speed and refined mechanics allow him to convert horizontal velocity into vertical height better than anyone who has ever held a pole.
And then there’s his consistency. The best pole vaulters in history might hit a lifetime-best jump once or twice in their careers. Duplantis? He’s made breaking world records feel routine. He doesn’t just aim for personal bests—he expects them. That’s why betting against him feels foolish. He’s taken a sport built on acceptable margins and blown those margins away.
But perhaps the most staggering part of Duplantis’s rise is what it’s done to the rest of the field. Six men cleared 5.91 meters in Clermont-Ferrand—a historic feat—yet none were ever in contention for first place. Through no fault of their own, they are competing in a different competition.
Let us begin the year with a Mondo Duplantis interview from his #Silesia meeting, where he set the world record! Mondo has a busy indoor season! We can not wait to see the Swedish superstar! Interview courtesy of #DiamondLeagueAG #PUMA, #MondoDuplantis, #runblogrun, pic.twitter.com/CQgPiJQDJA
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) January 8, 2025
This is what true dominance looks like. It’s not just winning—redefining the conversation so thoroughly that winning becomes the expectation. And when the expectation is a world record nearly every time you step on the runway, the sport has officially entered a new era.
Mondo Duplantis isn’t just the best pole vaulter of his generation. He’s the best pole vaulter of any generation. And 6.35 meters? That’s just the next step in a career already pushing the limits of what we thought was possible.
