Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, a 20-year-old Swede, broke the pole vault world record for the second straight Saturday.
Duplantis, who last week broke the world record by one centimeter, again went one centimeter higher at an indoor meet in Glasgow. The record is now 6.18 meters, or a little taller than 20 feet, 3 inches.
“It’s really complicated, but I guess when you’re doing it right, it seems simple,” Duplantis, who earned a $30,000 bonus for the world record, said on the BBC.
The progression is reminiscent of Ukrainian legend Sergey Bubka. Bubka increased the world record by one centimeter on nine occasions from 1988-1994, taking advantage of bonus money each time he broke it.
Duplantis is a dual citizen born and raised in Louisiana, spending summers in his mother’s native Sweden.
His father, Greg, finished fifth in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials pole vault.
Duplantis grew up pole vaulting in his family backyard at age 3 with older brother Andreas and became a prodigy, breaking age-group records as early as 7.
He competed in high school in Lafayette, La., through 2018. He competed one season for LSU before turning pro last year.
Before last Saturday, Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie held the world record at 6.16 meters, set indoors in 2014. Bubka still holds the highest outdoor clearance of 6.14.
Duplantis is the Olympic favorite, but American Sam Kendricks is the two-time reigning world champion, relegating Duplantis to silver at last year’s worlds. Duplantis beat Kendricks on Saturday for the second time in two head-to-heads this year.
Duplantis is bidding to become the youngest Olympic pole vault champion since 1932, according to the OlyMADMen.
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