Armand Duplantis owns the world of athletics: more than 26 years after Sergej Bubka’s outdoor world record, the young Swede has definitely surpassed the legendary Ukrainian. On a mild late summer evening in Rome, the pole vaulter catapulted himself over 6.15 meters. In the almost deserted Stadio Olimpico, the youngster jumped an inch higher than the legendary Bubka on July 31, 1994 in Sestriere. Italy seems to be a good starting point for pole acrobats flying high.
“I landed on the mat, but didn’t really fall back to earth,” said the 20-year-old Duplantis, seated name “Mondo”. “It’s surreal, a crazy feeling.” After that, there was nothing more than an elbow check with Sebastian Coe: Even the Olympic champion and president of the World Athletics Federation had to adhere to the corona rules.
It was easier for Bubka – the 35-time world record holder simply sent his congratulations via Twitter: »Congratulations to @ mondohoss600 on breaking my record! Fantastic! «Wrote the 56-year-old. For athletics it is a stroke of luck “that we will have such a bright star over the next few years.”
The star was not blinking for the first time, because European champion Duplantis has already set two world records this year – both in the hall. The World Cup runner-up from Doha mastered 6.17 meters in Torun on February 8, and a week later he catapulted himself over 6.18 meters in Glasgow. He can easily get over the fact that his 6.15 meters are only declared by the world federation as an outdoor world best.
“I just wanted to be at the top of the rankings,” said the son of an American father and Swedish mother. He has now put an end to the “confusion between indoor and outdoor world records” for the time being. “I already had the world record, but I wanted to make everything clear and be the best outdoors.” The 6.18 meters is the official world record. In 1998, the world association modified a rule according to which top hall performances are recognized as records in technical disciplines.
Even his nickname has something to do with chasing records. “After my first world record, someone called me ‘Mondo’, which translated from Italian means ‘world’. Everyone has called me that ever since. I like it «, the athlete once declared and confidently announced. “I’m going to jump 6.18 meters outdoors, so there won’t be two more records to keep. I know I can, it’s only a matter of time. “
As a four-year-old, Duplantis jumped on the living room sofa with a broomstick, and his father Greg built a jumping facility for him in the garden. Duplantis still holds the world records in age groups 7 to 12 and from 17 to 20. On August 12, 2018, the then 18-year-old mastered the magical six-meter mark for the first time: with 6.05 meters, he caught the competition in Berlin EM gold away.
His mother usually accompanied him on competition trips. That didn’t work in Rome. “My parents weren’t here this time. I’m a little sad, ”admitted Duplantis. “My father was never there when I set the world record.” But that can be changed: Even 6.18 meters is certainly not the end for the new master of the air. dpa / nd
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