Armand Duplantis is back in Rome.
The arena where the EC is decided is of great importance to him.
– It was very important, he says.
Armand Duplantis made it to the final of the Athletics European Championship with ease, and the giant favorite in the pole vault needed only one jump in the qualifiers. Duplantis is the best pole vaulter of all time, and wins pretty much every competition he competes in. Anything other than EC gold would be a sensational blow.
Back in the record arena
Perhaps Duplantis is just as big a favorite this time, as he has fond memories of competing in Rome, to say the least. It was here that Duplantis, in 2020, broke Sergej Bubka’s outdoor record of 6.14. Although it is not an official world record, as the International Association of Athletics Federations does not distinguish between indoors and outdoors, it was of great importance to Mondo.
Sergej Bubka’s outdoor record had stood for 26 years, and although Duplantis had already broken the official world record at the time, the outdoor record was another receipt.
– It was very important. It was a record I really, really wanted to beat, he tells Expressen.
“Wanted to fight back”
It was already in the year 2000 that the rules were changed, and world records applied regardless of whether it was indoors or outdoors. But for Mondo, there was no big difference.
– They had changed the rules, but to me it felt like a world record. Then there was a Bubka record included, which made it even more special.
Before the outdoor record, Mondo had also had a slightly heavier period, when Covid-19 canceled several competitions, and motivation tired. When Duplantis cleared 6.14 outdoors, it was proof that he was back.
– You could say that I wanted to fight back a little, to show that it is at this level that I am now, he says, and continues:
– And that I will be that practitioner from now on.
Sign up for our newsletter
Share