Armand Duplantis is an idol for many.
Even for his rivals.
Unknown pictures from the WC now reveal Mondo’s beautiful gesture – in the middle of the qualifiers.
Armand Duplantis has a number of world records in his bag and the question is whether anyone in the entire World Athletics Championships is a bigger favorite in any discipline than Mondo is in the pole vault. He easily made it to the final from the qualifiers, and once there it will take a huge sensation for him not to win his second straight WC gold.
The rival’s question
Duplantis is the great giant of the pole vault and apart from a competition in Monaco during the summer, where he had problems with a hamstring, he has won every single competition in the last year. Duplantis is a role model for many, one of Sweden’s most popular athletes – but he is also an idol for many of his competitors.
That Armand Duplantis gets to sign autographs is not unusual, but we can probably guess that he has never before signed an autograph for a competitor, in the middle of a competition. But this week it actually happened, in the competition that perhaps means the most. After Mondo advanced to the finals, and when he was just about to leave the arena in Budapest, a Chinese rival suddenly approached Duplantis.
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Amazing gesture
With him was an envelope with pictures of what appeared to be Mondo himself during a pole vault. He presented the pictures to Duplantis and asked for autographs, and of course Duplantis agreed. Duplantis autographed each picture, handed over the pictures and pen, before grabbing his bag and leaving the arena.
It’s not common for sports stars to sign autographs for their rivals, but Mondo is no ordinary athlete either. This really proves what an incomparable level the Swedish star maintains, and what a special status he is in the pole vault. It also proves what a great person Duplantis is, who makes time for those who look up to him – whether it happens to be a rival. Respect!
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