Global Sports
Only Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis would describe the pole vault as “like riding a bicycle”.
But the analogy is apt because the Louisiana-born Swedish jumper learned to pole vault like most learn to cycle: as a child, out in the garden in the family home; in a backyard his Mom, Helena, has described as a “natural playground,” because of its runaway and mat, baseball batting cage and trees and ropes to climb. An idyllic setting for a prodigy to flourish.
The 25-year-old is, by some margin, the greatest athlete to grace the wildest of track and field events. Five years into his professional career, he has achieved everything: 13 world records, five world titles, indoors and outdoors, and two Olympic golds. Last summer, he was the first man since the ‘vaulting vicar’ Bob Richards in 1956 to successfully defend a pole vault Olympic title.
“I was an early boomer and super-obsessed with pole vault when I was younger,” Duplantis told The Athletic in Zurich last month, where he won the pole vault at the Diamond League finals for the fifth straight year. He still holds the best pole vault performances for ages under seven through to under 12.
