The world held its breath as Mondo Duplantis soared to Olympic glory in Paris, then bolted to his girlfriend in Taylor Swift’s “The Alchemy” come-to-life moment—cue “Where’s the trophy? He just comes running over to me.” On August 5, this 24-year-old phenom delivered a jaw-dropping finale, clearing a sky-high 6.25 meters. The crowd at Stade de France erupted, chanting his name as he not only clinched Olympic gold but smashed his own world record for the ninth time, besting the 6.24 meters he achieved back in April at the Xiamen Diamond League.

For Mondo Duplantis, these gravity-defying feats are almost second nature—his roots are deeply entwined in sports, with both parents and siblings sharing the athletic spirit. It’s hardly surprising when you consider Mondo Duplantis comes from a family steeped in athletics—both his parents and siblings boast impressive sports backgrounds. But before his record-breaking feats stole the spotlight, an excited Mondo shared a candid confession: there was one career moment that left his parents more on edge than even the high-stakes Olympics!

In a recent report by Athletics Weekly, Mondo Duplantis shared the secret behind his soaring success in pole vaulting—his sprinter’s edge. While his sprinting prowess is something he’s long boasted about, it was clear that it plays a crucial role in setting him apart from other vaulters. But that night in Paris, the real challenge wasn’t just in breaking records; it was about the pressure his family felt, especially his mother. “I think my parents were more nervous for that than the Olympics, especially my mother,” Mondo chuckled. “I think she felt a sense of pressure.”

While Mondo’s father, Greg, a former pole vaulter, handles his training, his mother Helena supervises his running and strength and conditioning. Their working approach has always been successful. “We train more like a sprinter than a pole vaulter and we’ve always thought that that’s been a real positive for our jumping,” he said. To Mondo, that night in Paris was not just about setting records—it was about demonstrating to the world what all that hard work means and having fun while doing it, all while competing with pride.

But little did the world know that before Mondo Duplantis started pole vaulting and breaking records and people’s hearts, there was Helena, his mom, who had her own fair share of sports. She was born and raised in Sweden and was brought up in athletics; her dad, Lars-Ake, led a track club and even pole vaulted until his seventies. Helena was a heptathlete for Sweden before going to Louisiana State University where she met Greg, another pole vaulter.

Then the duo moved to the U.S., had four children, and, not surprisingly, athletics became a family affair. “It was just so natural for all of them,” Helena said, with the pride of a mother. “For Mondo, it was like second nature.” And the rest? Total athletic gold! Mondo’s technical coach, his father Greg Duplantis, is not only just any coach but an All-SEC pole-vaulting star from the past. For Mondo, though, it’s way more than having top-notch guidance; it’s about having his parents by his side, cheering him on through every jump.

“It’s amazing to experience everything with my parents as coaches,” he says with a grin. “We do it in such a healthy way.” For Mondo, the real win isn’t just about breaking records—it’s the joy of chasing dreams as a family. And let’s be honest, this isn’t the first time he has given his parents the recognition they deserve to be the ultimate off-camera superstars!

Mondo Duplantis credits his parents!

Fast forward to December 1, and guess who grabbed the Male Field Athlete of the Year title from World Athletics? Yep, Mondo Duplantis! And he’s the first to give credit where it’s due—to his rockstar parents. These two never pressured him but stood by him every step of the way. Fun fact: this world record-smashing journey began many years ago when he was only seven years old, which showed he was leaping 2.33 meters with ease. However, his parents did not instantly home the pole vaulting sport as a specialty. They constructed a backyard play place that would allow Mondo to try a little basketball shooting or just be a child.

“We did a lot of sports until I was about 15,” Mondo shares. “I played baseball just as much as pole vault. Soccer, too.” And it was not only him—his brother, Antoine, chose not to fly through the air and play baseball instead, which was completely acceptable with their rather relaxed parents. No pressure, no forcing—just a whole lot of space to develop and find out. That approach, Mondo says, made all the difference, letting him follow his own pace and keep the fire alive without burning out. “It’s always a competition within yourself,” he explains, and boy, has he mastered that inner game.

Now, with 6.30 meters in his sights, Mondo shows no signs of slowing down. With his parents as his biggest cheerleaders and the freedom they gave him to chase his dreams, the sky isn’t the limit—it’s just the beginning.