Duplantis Wins, Nears World Record at Mondo classic
UPPSALA, Sweden – Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, the two-time Olympic pole vault champion, won the 2025 Mondo Classic on thursday but narrowly missed setting a new world record. Despite brushing the bar on all three attempts at 6.28 meters, Duplantis’ winning vault of 6.05 meters secured his victory at the IFU Arena.
Paris Medalists Follow Duplantis
Emmanouil Karalis of Greece, a bronze medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympics, finished second with a vault of 6.00 meters. American Sam Kendricks, a Paris silver medalist, took third place, clearing 5.90 meters, a season’s best for him.
High-stakes Competition
The Mondo Classic featured seven of the top eight finishers from the Paris 2024 Olympic final. Duplantis skipped the initial height of 5.50 meters, entering the competition at 5.65 meters,which he cleared on his first attempt.
Road to Victory
The competition intensified at 5.80 meters, with most competitors faltering on their first attempts. Duplantis, again, passed on this height, while Karalis cleared it on his first try. At 5.90 meters, duplantis and Kendricks succeeded on their first attempts, joined by Karalis, Kurtis Marschall of Australia, and thibaut Collet of France.
Duplantis and Karalis Battle for the Lead
Only Duplantis and Karalis cleared 6.00 meters, setting the stage for a final showdown.Duplantis then cleared 6.05 meters on his first attempt, while Karalis failed to match the height in three attempts.
Near Miss at World record Height
With the bar set at 6.28 meters – a height that would have marked Duplantis’ 12th world record – he came close but ultimately failed to clear it in three attempts. Duplantis’ current world record stands at 6.27 meters, set on February 28.
Looking Ahead
Duplantis is now set to compete at the World Indoor Championships next week, seeking his third gold medal in the event, after victories in 2022 and 2024.
* Besides duplantis, which other athletes of note competed at the Mondo Classic?
Duplantis Wins, Nears World Record at Mondo Classic – Q&A
Here’s a breakdown of the highlights from Armand “Mondo” duplantis’s recent performance:
Q&A
Q: Where and when did the Mondo Classic take place?
A: The Mondo Classic took place in Uppsala, Sweden on Thursday.
Q: Who won the Mondo Classic?
A: Armand ”Mondo” duplantis won the competition.
Q: What was Duplantis’s winning height?
A: Duplantis’s winning vault was 6.05 meters.
Q: Did Duplantis break the world record?
A: No, Duplantis narrowly missed breaking the world record.He failed to clear 6.28 meters in three attempts.
Q: What is Duplantis’s current world record?
A: His current world record is 6.24 meters, set in Belgrade, Serbia, on March 7, 2022.
Q: Who finished second and third?
A: Emmanouil Karalis of Greece (6.00 meters) finished second, and Sam Kendricks of the USA (5.90 meters) finished third.
Q: What makes the mondo Classic notable?
A: The competition featured seven of the top eight finishers from the Paris 2024 Olympic final, highlighting the high caliber of athletes.
Q: What’s next for Duplantis?
A: He is set to compete at the World Indoor Championships next week, aiming for his third gold medal in the event.
Trivia: Did you know that Duplantis’s father, Greg Duplantis, was also a pole vaulter, and his mother, Helena, was a heptathlete? Their influence clearly played a role in his success!
Stay tuned to see if Mondo can claim his third World Indoor Championship gold!
