By David Ramiro
Sports Desk, March 17 (EFE).- He rules the skies in pole vaulting. Armand Duplantis, the sport’s undisputed star, is gearing up for the Indoor Track World Championships in Nanjing, China, where he aims to extend his reign with another world title.
“I am super excited about this World Championship. I’ve never been to the (Nanjing) stadium, but last year, I competed in China for the first time in two Diamond League meets, breaking the outdoor world record,” Duplantis told EFE.
While expectations are sky-high, he embraces the challenge.
“When you are under pressure, in those high-stakes moments, mental strength and control are crucial. It is about focusing on the right things. But honestly, I don’t have a specific routine to work on it. I rely on my parents, who are also my coaches.”
Duplantis, now edging closer to the 6.30-meter mark, isn’t fixated on specific numbers but acknowledges it as an achievable goal.
From Pole Vault to Pop Beats
Outside of athletics, Duplantis finds an artistic escape in music.
“I have a few close friends who are musicians, so I’m a bit involved in that world as well. There are different things I have my toes in, which I think is a good way to step away from my sport at times.”
His debut song, Bop, is available on Spotify under the artist name, Mondo. He also appeared in the music video for “Chasing Paradise” by Kygo and OneRepublic, alongside his partner, Desiré Inglander.
Duplantis is also ionate about golf and ires legends like Sweden’s Annika Sörenstam and Tiger Woods.
A Legacy in the Making
Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, in 1999, Duplantis grew up in a sports-driven household. His father, Gregg, a former American pole vaulter, now coaches him. His mother, Helena, a Swede, was a heptathlete and volleyball player.
At home in Louisiana, alongside his brothers, ‘Mondo’ discovered athletics, training on a homemade pole vault setup his father built in their backyard.
At 15, after persistent interest from Sweden’s athletics federation, he chose to compete under the Swedish flag, leveraging his dual nationality.
What followed is already a legendary career: two Olympic golds (Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024), two outdoor world titles (2022, 2023), two indoor world titles (2022, 2024), three outdoor European championships (2018, 2022, 2024), and one indoor European title (2021). He has also broken his own world record 11 times, pushing it to 6.27 meters. EFE
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