Duplantis didn’t set a world record during the indoor season but hit the ground running with a 6.24 in the outdoor opener in Xiamen, China, in April.
During the winter, Duplantis became more aware of the importance of weight for high jumping and consulted his mother and trainer Helena, who is a trained dietitian, and it had an effect.
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– I’ve lost about four kilos. It’s quite a lot, but I feel great and haven’t made much of a difference, but have become a little more focused on what I eat. I ate well but too much during the indoor season and have better control now, says Duplantis who lost from 80 to 76 kilos in a period of two months.
“You have to be able to fly”
He feels that the ideal weight has been reached and that it is enough now. More home-cooked food than eating out at a restaurant. He sees several advantages to his lighter new self.
– I was able to get a little more energy from the softer bars. I think I had gotten a little too big during the indoor season. I was strong but you have to be able to fly as well, which becomes more difficult with more weight and more difficult also because it is more difficult to control stiffer bars and the feel with it, says Duplantis.
He has now abandoned the pursuit of the stiffer poles and rather has softer poles now than during the indoor season as he chases his third straight EC gold, this Olympic season, where he also has a title to defend in Paris.
– It is a step towards the Olympics, but I am also focused and determined for this competition, says Mondo Duplantis.
Duplantis enters the EC with the qualification on Monday.