Heartbreak for Mondo Duplantis As He Misses Second World Record of the Year at Ostrava Golden Spike 2024

Mondo Duplantis has firmly established himself as a pole vaulting icon, holding both the indoor record at 6.22m and the outdoor record at 6.24m. His impressive resume includes European and Diamond League titles, along with the gold medal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he proudly represented Sweden.

However, at the Ostrava Golden Spike 2024, on 28th May, the Swedish-American pole vault champion Mondo Duplantis confidently aimed for new heights.

After effortlessly securing victory with a 6.00m clearance in the men’s pole vault in today’s event, he ambitiously attempted a groundbreaking 6.25m for the world record. Despite a nail-biting final attempt, he fell just short. However, Ethan Cormont of France secured second place with a respectable 5.62m clearance.

It’s worth noting he already made the record this year on April 24, 2024, at the Xiamen Diamond League. Duplantis delivered yet another remarkable performance, breaking his world record with a stunning 6.24m leap. Notably, he was the only athlete to surpass the six-meter mark that evening, effortlessly clearing each vault on his first attempt without any misses.

Starting with heights of 5.62m, 5.82m, and 6.00m, Duplantis then confidently aimed for the world record height, achieving it with remarkable ease. This achievement followed his previous world record-setting performance of 6.23m at the Diamond League 2023 Final in Eugene, Oregon, USA, highlighting his consistent excellence in the sport. But it all started back in 2020 when he made his first record.

How Mondo Duplantis maintains his dominance with consistent performances

Mondo Duplantis’s journey to pole vaulting supremacy began with a childhood ambition to reach the sport’s summit. Breaking the world record initially at 6.17 meters in 2020 was just the start; his hunger for challenge only grew stronger with each triumph. He describes this drive succinctly: “I love the challenge, and it doesn’t go away. It just gets harder and harder. The challenge, it seems, is really just starting.“ A series of remarkable accomplishments punctuates Duplantis’s journey to sporting stardom.

From clinching the title at the 2015 World Youth Championships at the tender age of 15 to securing a third place at the World U20 Championships a year later, his ascent has been nothing short of meteoric. His remarkable achievements continued with wins at the European U20 Championships in 2017 and at the World U20 Championships in 2018, showcasing his talent in the sport.

Since his victory, at the 2018 World U20 Championships, Duplantis has remained a figure in competitions except for one instance where he came second at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar clearing 5.97 meters as stated on Wikipedia. Moreover, his unblemished record throughout this year, including three indoor events leading up to the world indoors, attests to his consistency and unrivaled prowess on the global stage.