Armand Duplantis was something beyond the extra, even as a child.
That’s what the iconic expert A Lennart Julin thinks – who reveals an unknown story about a ten-year-old Mondo.
– Then you realized that this is very special, says Julin.
Armand Duplantis is the best pole vaulter of all time. Despite being only 23 years old, Duplantis has several world records under his belt, and this weekend he won his second straight World Championship gold in the pole vault. He is now in pursuit of the icon Sergej Bubka’s record for the number of golds in major championships, but it will take a lot if it is not to go his way.
Unknown history
Duplantis wins pretty much every single competition he competes in, and there is really nothing to indicate that the development will not continue straight up. Mondo received considerable attention already in his teens when he broke through as one of the world’s greatest talents. Duplantis started pole vaulting as a child in the family garden, where there was a pole vault facility. In the family, father Greg and older brother Andreas have also been pole vaulters.
Now the iconic athletics expert A Lennart Julin reveals an unknown story about a meeting with Mondo – already as a 10-year-old.
– On June 29, 2010, it will be an athletics evening at Stockholm Stadium, a simple everyday competition, a completely normal results competition, says Julin on TV4.
READ MORE: Armand Duplantis was completely snubbed after the WC gold – here are the new clear Swedish demands: “Would have been strange otherwise”
“Then you realized that…”
A Lennart Julin remembers what he saw in the arena. And perhaps it wasn’t Andreas Duplanti’s pole vaulting skills that stuck.
– And there is, among other things, a young American pole vaulter, aged 16, named Andreas Duplantis, who will test his form before an upcoming youth championship. He has his whole family with him except father. Little brother was there, and there were two things you noticed about him, he says.
Julin continues:
– One was that he ran up to his little sister, who was three years younger, and he was insanely nimble in his movements. You could see that there was something extra. And then the second thing: After every jump that Andreas had made, Mondo walked over and sat down next to Andreas. So he coached his six year older brother.
A Lennart Julin knew even then that there was something about that little boy.
– Then you realized that this is a very special person.
READ MORE: Armand Duplanti’s shock message after the WC gold – which makes everyone drop their jaws: “I’m going to change sports”