Duplantis Clears 6.19m To Set New Pole Vault World Record

Third time’s the charm. Whilst the idiom might apply for many, Armand “Mondo” Duplantis has failed his third attempt at the 6.19m mark many times, before breaking his own pole vault world record at the Serbian Indoor Meeting in Belgrade on Monday, 7 March.

The 22-year-old dominated the competition at the final World Indoor Tour silver meeting of the season, as per usual. With his four rivals exiting early, the Duplantis show started with the Swede clearing 5.61m, 5.85m and 6.00m on the first attempt, respectively.

Having set a 6.17m world record for the first time in February 2020, followed by 6.18m one week later in Glasgow, the Tokyo Olympic and reigning European champion raised the bar to 6.19m in an attempt to better his current mark. After two unsuccessful attempts, Duplantis cleared the bar on the third attempt and his 51st overall at this height.

"It's been a long time coming. I've never had a height that has given me that much trouble, so it's a very good feeling. It was really hard fought over these past two years. I'm really happy," a triumphant Duplantis told worldathletics.org.

The Swedish star remains the man to beat in the pole vault, having now cleared six metres or higher in 21 competitions. He will return to Belgrade for the World Athletics Indoor Championships, which will take place from 18-20 March, and is favoured to defend his European title at this summer’s European Championships Munich 2022.

His followership can’t wait for him to raise the bar even further – literally and figuratively. For his next world record attempt, third time might be the charm. 

© Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images