Mondo Duplantis, former LSU pole vaulter, breaks own world record to win Olympic gold medal
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Mondo Duplantis made history Monday, breaking his own record as he won another gold medal.
On Feb. 15, 2020, he set a new world record with a 6.18-mete pole vault. Eighteen months later, he won a gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo games (which took place in 2021) with a 6.02-meter pole vault.
During Monday’s action of the 2024 Paris Olympic games, Duplantis rewrote the record books. He first set a new Olympic record, vaulting 6.10 meters.
The Olympic record. Mondo Duplantis.
6.10 meters (20’ 0.25”)
pic.twitter.com/ZsHH7HKp66— LSU Track & Field (@LSUTrackField) August 5, 2024
The Olympic record was quickly broken again. Duplantis went for 6.25 meters, a new world record (and Olympic record). It’s his ninth time setting the world record, besting his previous mark of 6.24 meters, set on April 20 in China.
World Record #9. Mondo Duplantis.
6.25 meters (20’ 6”)
pic.twitter.com/0L880oNDxB— LSU Track & Field (@LSUTrackField) August 5, 2024
With the world record, Duplantis won the gold medal. He’s now tied for the most pole vaulting gold medals in Olympic history.
THE GEAUXT!
Mondo goes back-to-back to win his second Olympic appearance, and ties Bob Richards for the most PV gold medals in Olympic history.#GeauxTigers x #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/VmMAAZrZbl
— LSU Track & Field (@LSUTrackField) August 5, 2024
Duplantis is from Lafayette, Louisiana. He competed for LSU track and field during the 2019 season. Duplantis had a decorated brief college career as the top pole vaulter at the SEC Indoor Championships (5.92m), NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships (5.83m) and SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (6.00m).
A dual citizen, the 24-year-old Duplantis competes for Sweden, his mother’s homeland, in the Olympics. While the Swedish national coach recruited him, Duplantis also acknowledged to the New York Times in 2021 that he saw an easier path to the Olympics competing for Sweden instead of the United States.
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Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
