Layout by: Joey Francisco
Published by: Aprilyn Sado
Date Published: April 14, 2025
Time Published: 1:02 PM
There are things that a man can't do, and one of them is to fly. However, Swedish Pole Vaulter, Armand Duplantis has proven otherwise. Recently breaking the world pole vault record for the 11th time, he swung up and soared through another height of success at the All-Star Perche in Clermont-Ferrand, France.
As he keeps on jumping above anyone else in history and making his record, Duplantis is also pushing the limits—literally and figuratively. But how does he do it? What is the secret behind his distinct skill when it comes to pole vaulting? Well, the secret is no mystery—just raw speed, impeccable technique, unwavering confidence, and extensive training—his dedication to his art became his renowned technique to his top-out—a term in pole-vaulting describing a player reaching the higher point of their jump.
Born to a Swedish mother and an American father, both of whom were athletes—Duplantis was honed to such greatness. With a family with the same interests as him, the fire in his heart grew bigger. His parents, along with his other three siblings, who are also skilled in pole vaulting provided him with boundless opportunities and support to pursue his passion and turn it into a profession, serving as Mondo’s big push to continue their tapestry of success in the league of pole vaulting.
Nonetheless, unlike any competition, life does not have a definitive winner, it's the journey that counts. Duplantis’ story is far from being finished. Though already pushing boundaries and setting records, everyone anticipates what’s next for his legacy. Beyond the bars, he keeps on soaring to new heights, gradually achieving his long-wanted goal. His dedication to the sport serves as an inspiration to younger athletes to reach for their sky, make a breakthrough, and continue the tradition of being an inspiration. Will he continue to break barriers, or will his legacy help elevate the sport to new levels of recognition? Only time will tell.
It is a story that reaches beyond the skies indeed. From being born to skilled athletes to making history himself, Duplantis cemented his destiny towards Pole Vaulting. Jumping through different heights, he keeps his journey alive, making a lifetime legacy of achievements and inspirations. He sought a deep-rooted passion inspired by his family and made it bloom gracefully through his dedication and skills. He's not only a world record holder but also a pole himself. With enough strength and perseverance, he can inspire and help everyone push beyond their limits.
MONDO’S TOP OUT: EXCEEDING LIMITS, NATURAL EXCELLENCE
Armand Gustav Duplantis, also known as Mondo Duplantis, is a pole vaulter at heart and is destined to be one. Already starting to break records at his university—Louisiana State University—for both indoor and outdoor pole vault, he’s about to start a legacy that’s beyond the clouds, making a new feat and peak for a lifetime.
Pole Vault, a track and field sport, requires an athlete to hump over an obstacle with the help of a pole. Duplantis, a renowned name in the field, has his technique as he takes off and leaps to new heights—physically and mentally.
With great importance to keeping physical strength, Duplantis persevered. As his field requires a great speed for the take-off, he trained to flash and jump higher than ever. Scott Simpson, his coach, narrates the three factors that make Duplantis great: Speed, Technique, and Consistency.
One can acquire one or two skills but not all. But with enough training and dedication, Duplantis managed to grab three, complement those with each other, and thus, being the great athlete he is today.
Simpson described his athlete’s speed as unprecedented. “The speed that he puts into the take-off at the end of the approach run is higher than we have seen from anybody else previously.”
However, not all quick-footed players can amount to the same on-pole technique when the take-off hits, being equally skilled as the slower guys. Regardless of that, Duplantis managed to combine the two, making his jumps incredible and higher every single time he tried. Besides speed and technique, there’s one more thing that helps him refine the other two, consistency.
As many believe, consistency leads to success, and Duplantis cemented the idea. Simpson stated that Duplantis has this huge toolbox—a collection of experience, whether success or failures—that he has built up from doing pole vault, which leads to an advantage or a gap with everyone else.
Nevertheless, contrary to most misconceptions, sports are also mental competitions, wherein Duplantis strives to be continuously better. “I trust my abilities when I’m on the track.” A statement from Duplantis, as he is considered the greatest pole vaulter of all time.
With his achievements, Duplantis lingers to his competitive and passionate edge towards his sport, and that is an intellectual aspect pushing himself to be better every step and jump of the way.
Ever since he was a child, there was a competitiveness along Duplantis’ veins, which resulted in his unwavering determination toward improvement in pole vaulting. Watching pole vault videos at midnight, Duplantis had to be dragged to sleep.
This igniting passion can also be seen during his competitions, with everyone fascinated by Duplantis’ frustration when he does not perform as he’d expected himself to. This frustration also helps in his unprecedented performance in the sport, creating a mental component that pushes him to do better and do more.
Henceforth, Duplantis took off to this skyrocketed flight towards his dream. With enough speed, technique, and consistency, he was able to push through limits and reach new heights. With only 25 years of age and burning passion towards pole vaulting, the question will remain, how the world and the future await Armand Duplantis?
THE BIG PUSH: AN ANCESTRY OF SUCCESS
As stated by Candace Cameron Bure, "The memories we make with our family are everything.”
Family is one of the most important roots of one’s success. Similarly, Mondo Duplantis had a similar experience. Born to a family of athletes, he was also inspired to be one—to continue the tapestry of success that his family had built before him, and as everyone anticipates, him creating his success.
Unbeknownst to most, Duplantis’ family is a combination of an American and Swedish Influence, both having an athleticism in their veins. Mondo’s father is Greg Duplantis, a former American pole vaulter and coach, while his mother is none other than Helena Duplantis, a former Swedish heptathlete and volleyball player. As a result of two amazing athletes’ love, a tapestry of success has started.
Mondo has two older brothers, Andreas and Antoine, and one younger sister, Johanna, all having skills in their beloved sports, mostly pole vaulting as well.
Andreas Duplantis, one of Mondo’s older brothers, is also a pole vaulter, competing in several competitions. And then, Antoine Duplantis, another older brother of Mondo, has also established his name from pole vaulting but gradually transitioned into baseball, being the only baseball player in their family.
Then Armand “Mondo” Duplantis came in, the renowned pole vaulter that we know today for continuously breaking records and winning competitions.
Last in their goal-driven bloodline is their youngest sister, Johanna Duplantis, following her older brothers’ footsteps by being a collegiate pole vaulter at LSU, Mondo’s alma mater.
Being a mixed athlete, Mondo has the freedom to choose which country he would represent. However, he chose to be a Swedish athlete because of constant persuasion from a Swedish Coach. With no bitterness, his father coached him on the Swedish National team, allowing him to pursue his passion with full support.
With a family of athletes, continually pushing their limits together, a tapestry of success bloomed. The Duplantis family is an established bloodline in the sports league, with each being skillful in their distinct sports. Mondo Duplantis, being the most famous in their family, is one of the anticipated athletes in the world. With a rich family background and a skillful technique, he is beyond the bar. However, what is his next step as he already reached numerous podiums and exceeded several bars, cementing his name in the greatest people of all time?
BEYOND THE BARS: THE PERSISTING LEGACY
With all of his achievements, Mondo could easily retire anytime he wants, but he chose to stop at nothing. At a perfect age of 25, he peaked at his field of endeavor, and he chose to go beyond the bars and write his legacy—a legacy filled with breaking records, winning awards, and being an inspiration to many; a legacy to remember for a lifetime, equating the period of dedication Mondo has used to be successful.
As he broke his world record for the 11th time, setting it with a 6.27 meters on February 28, he has cemented his legacy as the greatest pole vaulter in the history. With a composure so intense, he seemed so assured of winning every time he stepped on a competition, with the uncertainty of breaking his record once again. This achievement is rooted from his objective since February 2020, to increase the record by one centimeter to push the sport’s boundaries at the same pace as his improvements.
Yet as the successful years start and end, Mondo’s goals remain: to push into new frontiers, including one day clearing 6.30 meters. It is undeniable that his journey will get progressively harder every step on the way, however, this serves as a motivation for Mondo. He vowed to keep improving and staying on the right path, as he stated in the interview that it has always been a competition within himself, Mondo against the bar, ever since he was young.
After his world record breakthrough, he is expected to compete in the Mondo Classic 2025. With a trajectory so high, everyone anticipates his success once again and awaits for hopefully another world record. This competition assures the world the Mondo’s legacy will persist.
He is not only a winner and a world record holder, he’s also an inspiration to many. With his unwavering success, Mondo has managed to be an inspiration to many people’s stories and starting legacies.
A remarkable example of Mondo’s influence on many is the story of Skiing legend Ingemar Stenmark. Stemark had wanted to experience the thrill of jumping over the bars, with Mondo Duplantis as the sole inspiration. Stemark stated that he felt like a teenager at heart as he tries to excel with the pole vault at the age of 68 years old.
Mondo Duplantis’ burning passion towards pole vaulting is infectious. With many people, including legends like Stenmark, aspiring to try pole vaulting as well. Duplantis’ influence on Stenmark is one of the best examples of how sport can inspire and influence anyone, as long as you show enough interest, perseverance, and hard work in your distinct passion.
Mondo Duplantis has pushed the boundaries of pole vaulting. From being a part of a sporty family to building his success, creating breakthroughs, and being an inspiration to many, he is the best reminder that no dream is too high to reach.
His journey, mainly driven by unparalleled speed, technique, and outlook, has shaped his success as the greatest pole vaulter of all time. With his burning passion, he has ignited others’ stories all across the globe. In every competition, he dominates, breaking barriers and inspiring us to dream bigger, reach higher, and never stop pursuing greatness.
As Mondo set another breakthrough, we can also be inspired in his unwavering commitment to improvement. His determination extends not only in sports but also in all aspects of life, reminding us that success is immeasurable for it is a competition with ourselves and our will power to surpass ourselves every time and sharing this passion with others. Mondo’s journey is nowhere near to ending, however, as the world anticipates his next success, let us be reminded that he is a model of perseverance, passion, and consistency, a reminder that we can dream high and reach even higher heights. Like Mondo, you can be beyond bars, in your own time and barriers, what heights will you surpass next?
REFERENCES:
[1] Weir, S. (2022, December 28). Secrets of success for Mondo Duplantis. Athletics Weekly. https://athleticsweekly.com/performance/technical/secrets-of-success-for-mondo-duplantis-1039963600/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR32jj8G3JwQ5cUFbsjQT6oYmk2jkzIrTxuTZn7SoA_MMXFYbL0QwJYFc44_aem_5wO_JWj1MIdk7LlM7qWI7g
[2] Sportskeeda. (n.d.). Mondo Duplantis family. Father, Mother, Siblings, Girlfriend. https://www.sportskeeda.com/athletics/mondo-duplantis-family
[3] Ingle, S. (2024, December 2). “You’re freaking out inside”: Why Mondo Duplantis is my athlete of the year | Sean Ingle. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/dec/02/why-pole-vaulter-mondo-duplantis-is-my-athlete-of-the-year
[4] Romani, R. (n.d.). Mondo Duplantis inspires skiing legend Ingemar Stenmark to take on pole vault at 68. AIPS Media - By Sport Journalists for Sport Journalists. The International Sport Press Association (AIPS) is dedicated to sports media professionals. https://www.aipsmedia.com/aips/pages/articles/2024/35748.html
