“Duplantis isn’t just the best pole vaulter in Sweden. He’s the best in the world, and in fact, the best to ever hurl himself 20 feet in the air to clear a bar, having broken the world record on eight different occasions,” about a year ago, this is what TIME magazine had to say about Mondo Duplantis, declaring him the best pole vaulter of the world. Over a year later, the comment remains undebated. The Swedish athlete has broken the world record five more times, taking the total tally to thirteen. But the question that hangs in the air now is: Who after him? The standards he has set are way too high, and they’ve even impressed a track and field legend.
At the Silesia Diamond League, Mondo Duplantis won the men’s pole vault, clearing 6.10 m, just days after setting a new world record of 6.29 m in Budapest. Though shy of his record, this ensured his sixth Diamond League win of the season and extended his remarkable 37-meet winning streak in the circuit since 2023. Justin Gatlin talked about this and the Swedish breaking the record in the latest episode of Ready Set Go podcast. He’s impressed and but also has a warning for him.
“It seems like it’s very systematic for him, and he knows how to get the job done, man. So, he broke the code, man. He is the code to be honest. That’s where he’s at right now. He’s the code,” Justin Gatlin said in his podcast. He has broken the world record thirteen times, and each time by one centimeter. Allegedly, it is said that Mondo Duplatis strategically raises the bar one centimeter at a time to maximize record-bonus payments, since athletes only receive a cash bonus once per competition. Duplantis has addressed these allegations.
Even Rodney Green agreed with Gatlin that Duplantis is the code, but he sure did warn the pole vaulter as well. “I mean, he won Silesia Diamond League also after breaking the world record. He might take a little break before. No, he’s going to go straight to the Diamond League final and which he didn’t even have to go. I mean, he’s definitely the guy by far,” the American coach said. Duplantis currently stands at number one in DL ranking with 48 points, and the closest competition is Emmanouil Karalis, who is 12 points behind.
Credits: IMAGO
But Rodney also warned, “I definitely wonder when it’s that big of a gap, who’s next? Cuz somebody definitely has a target on his back and wants to beat him.” He stressed that while everyone celebrates Duplantis’ success, there are always one or two rivals watching from behind, determined to figure out how to finally beat him. “But to beat that guy, they definitely have to go to higher heights, literally and figuratively,” he concluded. Who can that be? Gatlin had the answer.
He said, “I think the next person that’s going to come along is going to be of a different generation. Like, I think the generation right now doesn’t have an answer o response from Mondo right now. It’s gonna be somebody who is watching, tracking, emulating Mondo, how he jumps, how he moves, and that person is gonna come along when Mondo kind of starts to age out.” Mondo Duplantis is that guy in pole vault who’s breaking world records at will. So if there is somebody who has his eyes out for him, they better know to soar higher than him, keeping in mind that he is probably going to better his record, maybe in Zurich or maybe in Tokyo.
Mondo Duplantis is excited to step back in Tokyo
The Swedish pole vaulter is excited to go to the Tokyo World Athletics Championships. He said in a press conference, “I’m super excited to go back to the stadium that I won my first Olympic gold… this time with fans. I haven’t been this excited about a competition, maybe ever.” At just age 21, Mondo Duplantis soared to his first Olympic gold in men’s pole vault at Tokyo’s Games in 2021, clearing 6.02 m to win. The memories are still fresh.
“It was a little bit more like a spooky and eerie type of feeling when I was in there because of all the circumstances,” he recalled. “I’d like to say that the spectators probably would have given me that little push to get over it.” Duplantis had daringly attempted to touch the 6.19 mark, but he narrowly missed.
His successful vault at 6.19 m came later in March 2022 at the Belgrade Indoor Meeting. Will he break another record in the coming Diamond Leagues, or is he saving it for Tokyo? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
The post Justin Gatlin Warns Mondo Duplantis of Pole Vault’s Future With Strong Confession Ahead of Diamond League appeared first on EssentiallySports.