As the excitement lingers, many star athletes are keeping the momentum alive by staying in Europe and heading to Lausanne, Switzerland, for the 2024 Wanda Diamond League season. Among them is Mondo Duplantis, who delivered an impressive, though not record-breaking, performance in his first pole vault competition since his stunning display at the Paris Olympics.

On Wednesday evening, despite strong gusts of wind blowing in off Lake Geneva, Duplantis cleared 6.15 meters on his third and final attempt. Although his jump didn’t set a new record, the Swedish star’s legacy is far from over. He remains determined to keep raising the bar, both literally and figuratively. “I know I can jump higher, and I want to jump a lot higher,” Duplantis shared. “I would like to jump over 6.30 meters.” It’s clear that he’s not just focused on setting new records, as he said recently.

According to Dyestat reports on X, Mondo Duplantis shared his ambitious goal of setting a world record of 6.30 meters before the Diamond League. Reflecting on his approach, he said, “I think it’s mostly confidence. I think that it’s hard, if not impossible, to be chill if you’re not confident in what you’re doing. So, I mean, up to this point, I think that I know what I’m doing, and I’m very confident when it comes to this sport. I’ve been obsessed with it since I was a kid…,,,,along with a sense of knowing what I need to do to get the most out of myself on each given day.”

He further added, “So, I think that’s the main thing. But I think that’s also just my personality…I’m a pretty chill person. I feel like my mom is quite chill, so it’s probably a little bit genetic too.”Is there a chance he could surpass the 6.30-meter mark? Considering his showing, at the Paris Olympics it appears achievable.

Mondo Duplantis transformed childhood dreams into Olympic gold

During the Paris 2024 Olympics, spectators worldwide were amazed, by Mondo Duplantis as he clinched his back-to-back gold medal. His astonishing jump of 6.25 meters at Stade de France set a record, for the vault ever achieved. But how it all started? It started in the backyard of his home, in Lafayette, Louisiana, where his dad, Greg Duplantis who used to pole vault at 5.80 meters made a jumping pit for the child.

The initial fun activity turned into an interest, for the family as Mondo’s mother, Helena who used to be a heptathlete added to the family sports tradition. With his father now coaching him Duplantis honed his skills, with dedication and accuracy. It appeared that the sport came naturally to him seamlessly following his family roots.

Despite his accomplishments, Duplantis stays fiercely competitive with himself always curious to test his limits. His pole vaulting consistency has been unmatched. He hasn’t faced defeat since June 2023 at the Diamond League, in Monaco, where he came in fourth place.

In Paris, a jump of 6 meters was enough to secure gold, with his closest rival, American Sam Kendricks, only managing 5.95 meters. Duplantis first broke the Olympic record with a 6.10m vault before setting the world record on his third and final attempt. Despite the gap between him and his competitors, Duplantis finds motivation in their presence, acknowledging that they bring out the best in him.  As he looks ahead, Duplantis remains focused on surpassing his own achievements, “Over 6.30m”—a reminder that for him, even a world record is just a personal best waiting to be improved.