Armand Duplantis Breaks Pole Vault World Record For The 14th Time

Key points

Duplantis clears 6.30m world record
Third straight world title won
Unbeaten streak reaches 37 events
Dominates pole vault with unmatched consistency

ISLAMABAD: Sweden’s Armand “Mondo” Duplantis made history once again in Tokyo, clearing 6.30m on his final attempt to set a 14th pole vault world record and claim a third straight world title.

The 25-year-old sealed gold with a first-time clearance at 6.15m, defeating Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis, before raising the bar one centimetre above his previous best. Karalis, who has now risen to fourth all-time, even held a fan to cool Duplantis between attempts.

In front of a captivated crowd that stayed well past 11pm local time, Duplantis soared into the record books once more. “It’s better than I could have imagined. To give you guys this world record is amazing. I’m just so happy,” he told the fans after his leap.

This marks his fourth world record in 2025, the most he’s achieved in a single year. Already a two-time Olympic champion, Duplantis has now won eight consecutive global golds in indoor and outdoor competitions. He first broke the world record in 2020 by clearing 6.17m and has since become the undisputed force in men’s pole vaulting.

Technical precision

Australia’s bronze medalist Kurtis Marschall said: “Mondo is from another planet – he is doing incredible things, things many people thought were impossible.”

Duplantis’ ability to consistently push the limits is thanks to his unique mix of speed, strength, and technical precision. His sprinting ability, aided by custom spikes, is seen by rivals as key to his success.

Since Sergey Bubka broke the six-metre barrier in 1984, the record has only inched up centimetres at a time – and Duplantis has followed that tradition, reaching 6.30m with perfect timing and control.

His winning streak now spans 37 events, dating back to July 2023. Since missing out at the 2019 Worlds in Doha, Duplantis has not lost a major final.

Superstar

Raised in Louisiana with a pole vault pit in his garden and coached by his parents, he grew up immersed in the sport. His younger sister Johanna also turned pro this year.

Duplantis is now the face of World Athletics, with over two million followers and set to headline the new Ultimate Championship in Budapest next year.

Former athlete Steve Cram summed it up: “Duplantis is a superstar and is transcending the sport. Pole vault draws you in, and that is why Armand is a showman.”