It has been in the works for a long time.
Now Armand Duplantis finally confirms the announcement that the athletics world has been waiting for.
– I’m super smart, says Mondo.
It was last year that Armand Duplantis surprisingly started talking about a sprint duel against Karsten Warholm in connection with a competition in Monaco. The pole vault star, with eight career world records, had challenged the Norwegian running phenomenon Warholm in a training session, and the first seeds of a real duel had been sown.
Now finally confirming
Armand Duplantis has since spoken several times that he wants the duel with the Norwegian to become a reality, but there has been a lot of back and forth. Warholm is the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the 400 meter hurdles, and has WC gold in the distance in 2017, 2019 and 2023. He is, like Mondo, also a world record holder, and for two such big stars to meet outside their regular disciplines is not common.
But now Armand Duplantis himself confirms that the heated duel will take place, in connection with the Diamond Leauge gala in Zurich in September. Then the two giants compete in their regular disciplines, but the day before also against each other in the 100 meter run. And to help, Mondo has called in the Swedish sprinter Henrik Larsson.
– It’s probably a bit of a semi-secret, but it’s going to be so much fun. It’s almost what will motivate me the most when the Olympics are over. I have already started training a little with starting blocks and will ask Henrik Larsson for sparring, says Mondo to Aftonbladet.
“Turn up the mood”
Armand Duplantis now hopes that there will be gold for both the Swede and the Norwegian in Paris, to make the duel as hot as possible.
– It would be fun if both Karsten and I could defend our Olympic gold here in Paris as well and raise the mood even more before the meeting, he says.
But the question is who actually goes in with the favourites?
Being quick over short distances is important to Duplantis as a pole vaulter, but he hasn’t done many 100m races in his career. Warholm, on the other hand, is used to running longer. Greg Duplantis, Mondo’s father and trainer, is sure that the Swede will win the duel, as he believes that there has never been a faster pole vaulter than Duplantis.
– No, I can’t think of anyone. I was also fast for a pole vaulter and ran around 10.50. But Mondo is faster than that, he says.
Sign up for our newsletter
Share