TOKYO – Pole vaulting superstar Armand “Mondo” Duplantis cemented his status as a living legend, clearing a breathtaking 6.30m to set a new world record and secure his third consecutive World Athletics Championships gold medal. The historic achievement marks his 14th world record, thrilling a captivated audience in Tokyo’s National Stadium who stayed long after the night’s other events had concluded to witness the feat.
The 25-year-old, who has now claimed eight global gold medals in a row across indoor and outdoor competitions, sealed his victory with a first-time clearance at 6.15m. He then had the bar raised to a height one centimeter higher than his previous record of 6.29m, a mark he had set just a month earlier.
With the crowd’s rhythmic applause accompanying his final attempt, Duplantis launched himself over the bar, which wobbled momentarily before settling. The stadium erupted in celebration as he leapt from the mat, embracing the moment and his fellow competitors.
“It’s better than I could have imagined. To give you guys this world record is amazing. I’m just so happy,” Duplantis said to the jubilant crowd.
A Season of Unprecedented Dominance
The Tokyo triumph marks the fourth world record set by Duplantis in 2025 alone, a testament to his unparalleled consistency and drive. His closest challenger this season, Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis, rose to fourth on the all-time list with a personal best of 6.08m, but still trails the flying Swede by 22 centimeters. Australia’s Kurtis Marschall took the bronze.
Duplantis’s dominance is underscored by his unbeaten streak of 37 competitions, which began in July 2023. Since he first broke the world record in 2020 by clearing 6.17m, he has incrementally improved the mark, a strategic approach that has seen him become the first man to clear the 6.30m barrier.
A Phenomenon with “No Limits”
With a $100,000 bonus from World Athletics for setting the record on top of his $70,000 prize for gold, Duplantis’s motivation is clear. However, as experts note, his legacy is about far more than financial incentives.
Former Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill described Duplantis as “from another planet,” stating, “No one knows Duplantis’ limits. He is hitting big heights in training but who knows how high he will go? There are a few years of world records in him, for sure.”
Duplantis’s success is attributed to a unique combination of lightning-fast runway speed, explosive power, and technical precision. He has now cleared six meters more than 100 times in his career, a height that only 28 other people have ever achieved. The US-born Swede, who competes for his mother’s home country, has not lost a major final since the 2019 World Championships, solidifying his reign as the greatest pole vaulter of all time.
