Mondo Duplantis, inevitably, wins Olympic pole vault gold again, breaks world record

SAINT-DENIS, France — The competition was over. The gold medal in the men’s pole vault belonged to Armand Duplantis. The events of the night were done, including the gold medal ceremony for the 100 meters featuring Noah Lyles.

But an encore remained. One of the few one-name stars at these Olympics, Mondo, was going for the world record. He set the last eight. The bar was set at 6.25 meters. The fervent crowd at Stade de France was all in for the theater of an all-time great.

“MON-DO! Clap. Clap. MON-DO! Clap. Clap.”

Save for the bit of a fight from American Sam Kendricks, this was the only uncertainty about Duplantis’ night. He missed the first attempt. He was too far when he swung up and his shin hit the bar.

Duplantis only needed to clear 6.0 meters to win the gold medal in the men’s pole vault final Monday. He is the first back-to-back gold medal winner in the Olympics since American Bob Richards, who won in the 1952 Helsinki Games and the 1956 Melbourne Games. Only Duplantis and Richards have two Olympic golds in the event.

Duplantis is inevitable. He’s won 30 of his last 31 rounds of pole vault. His last defeat came in June 2023 at a Diamond League event in Monaco, when he was hampered by a hamstring injury and finished fourth. Whether a qualifying round or a final with stakes, Duplantis just doesn’t lose.

He was back on the runway, attempting 6.25 for the second time. The crowd was at it again.

“MON-DO! Clap. Clap. MON-DO! Clap. Clap.”

The energy of the stadium lifted as he ran down the runway. But the same thing happened. He didn’t get up and over without making contact with the bar.

Duplantis was down to his third and final try to break his own world record.

Even Kendricks was locked in. He was the only American to make it to the Olympic final. He missed out on the Tokyo Games because of the COVID pandemic and spent the entire time sequestered in a hotel. He has been vocal about his disdain for the Olympics after his last experience, even at one point suggesting he might not come to Paris even if he qualified.

Good thing for him he did. Kendricks, who turns 32 in September, took silver to go with his bronze from Rio in 2016. He tried to match 6.0 meters but failed on his three attempts. He becomes the 11th pole vaulter in history with multiple medals, and the third American (Richards, Bob Seagren).

But now, Kendricks was just a fan of pole vault and a supporter of his good buddy. He joined the rest of the exuberant fans in pulling for Mondo as he hit the runway for a third time.

This time, Duplantis didn’t have to lead the crowd in the progressive clap, the one that starts slow and builds. The crowd did it on its own.

As Duplantis ran down the runway, the cheering crowd seemed to push him. He planted. He swung. He cleared it.

The stadium erupted as he fell to the mat, a roar loud enough to rattle the spine. The greatest pole vaulter of all time set another world record. Of course he did. Mondo is inevitable.

Required reading

(Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)