Armand Duplantis is back.
Then he sends a wonderful promise to the Swedish people.
– That is the goal, 100 percent, says “Mondo” to SVT.
Armand Duplantis is coming off a truly fabulous 2023, when he continued to push the boundaries of what anyone thought possible in pole vaulting. Duplantis not only broke his own world record, he also did it twice, and now 6.24 is required for Mondo to once again enter the history books.
The stars in place
Duplantis has a great year ahead of him, where the big highlight is of course the Summer Olympics in Paris, but before that Duplantis hopes to have broken his world record once more. Mondo has already made his annual debut, when he jumped in Kazakhstan last weekend. Then he won the competition, but without impressing, and his highest jump measured “only” 5.80.
This week, however, Duplantis is back at home, for his own gala “Mondo Classic”, which takes place in Uppsala. On site are Chris Nilsen, KC Lightfoot and Sam Kendricks, among others.
– We have the best eight pole vaulters in the world here. I know it will be a very high level and there will be many who will jump high. So if I can win again, that’s good, says Duplantis to SVT before the competition.
Beautiful promise
But Armand Duplantis himself also has a goal to give the audience something extra, and even though it is difficult to reach those heights so early in the season, he makes a promise to the Swedish people to give it a try.
– I know I have to jump six meters to win against those who are here, because they are so good. But I also want to try to set a new world record. 100 percent, that’s the goal, he says.
Uppsala has become Duplanti’s home field in Sweden, and it had been a dream for him to break a new world record right there.
– It will be special if we could do this. – It feels like a little extra pressure and championship feeling when I jump here. I like it and it helps me perform better, says Mondo.
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