If there’s one athlete who’s been pushing the limits of what’s possible—and making it look easy—it’s Mondo Duplantis. Every time he steps onto the runway, there’s a moment where the world holds its breath… and then he just floats. The 25-year-old Swedish pole vault phenom has turned a niche event into must-watch magic, pushing the limits of human flight with every meet. And after his gravity-defying gold medal performance in Paris, he broke the world record and cleared 6.25 meters—it was clear: Mondo wasn’t just chasing greatness. He was setting the standard. But recognition was a must. Right?
And now? The world’s officially caught up. Duplantis has been named the 2025 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. And guess what? In doing so, he beat out a stacked lineup that included Carlos Alcaraz, Leon Marchand, Tadej Pogacar, and Max Verstappen. That’s not just a win—it’s a statement.
In a year where legends were made on tennis courts, in the pool, across brutal cycling stages, and behind the wheel at 200 mph, it was the pole vault runway that produced the ultimate champion. Mondo isn’t just the king of the air—he’s now the best in the world, period. And this all came after his “March” performance, where he broke records.
Mondo Duplantis is the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year#Laureus25 pic.twitter.com/MZp1q2q5Dg
— Laureus (@LaureusSport) April 21, 2025
Back in early March, Mondo Duplantis did it again, and then, he took things to a whole new level. At the All-Star Perche in Clermont-Ferrand, France, the 25-year-old pole vaulting legend broke his own world record for the 11th time, soaring to a jaw-dropping 6.27 meters. But here’s the thing—he made it look ridiculously easy. Like, the guy just casually cleared 5.65m, 5.91m, 6.02m, and 6.07m on his first try. That’s how it’s done when you’re in a league of your own.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis wasn’t backing down—he set a national record of 6.02m to grab second place. But let’s be real, Mondo was on a different planet. He jumped a full 25 centimeters higher than anyone else in the field. And once he clinched the win, he cranked up the bar by another 20 centimeters and, on his first try, cleared it again. The crowd? Going wild. Fireworks? You bet.
And if that wasn’t enough, Mondo dropped his debut single, “Bop,” that same day, and it was blasting through the speakers as he made history. Since first breaking the world record in February 2020, Duplantis has been inching it up, one centimeter at a time, and now he’s setting his sights on the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China. The guy’s not just raising the bar—he’s rewriting what’s possible. . And here’s the kicker: this was his first-ever Laureus award, a moment that came after years of hard work and perseverance, especially after the struggles he faced since 2021.
The post Emotional High for Mondo Duplantis as He Bags Prestigious Title After Smashing 11th World Record Post Paris Olympics Glory appeared first on EssentiallySports.