Uppsala, Mar 14 (UNI) Two-time Olympic pole vault champion Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis clinched victory at the 2025 Mondo Classic at the IFU Arena in Sweden on Wednesday but narrowly missed out on setting a new world record.
Duplantis, the reigning world record holder at 6.27m, attempted to surpass his own mark with a 6.28m vault but failed to clear the height in all three attempts. His current record of 6.27m was set on 28 February.
Despite missing out on a new milestone, Duplantis dominated the competition, securing first place with a 6.05m clearance. Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis took second place with a 6.00m effort, while American Sam Kendricks finished third with a season’s best of 5.90m.
The event featured a high-calibre lineup, including seven of the top eight finishers from the Paris 2024 Olympics. Duplantis entered the contest at 5.65m, clearing it on his first attempt, while Karalis was the only vaulter to successfully clear 5.80m on his opening try. Both Duplantis and Kendricks comfortably crossed 5.90m in their first attempts, along with three other competitors.
As the bar rose to 6.00m, only Duplantis and Karalis managed to clear the height, setting the stage for a dramatic finish. Duplantis then soared over 6.05m on his first attempt, while Karalis fell short, confirming the Swede’s victory.
With the title secured, Duplantis made three valiant attempts at 6.28m in pursuit of a new world record. However, he narrowly brushed the bar on each occasion, denying him a historic feat in the presence of his home fans.
Top pole vaulters, including Duplantis, will now turn their focus to next week’s World Indoor Championships, where the Swedish star aims to secure his third consecutive gold medal, following triumphs in 2022 and 2024. UNI BDN GNK