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!
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.
Mondo Duplantis, photo by PhotoRun.net
