World record-holder Armand Gustav ‘Mondo’ Duplantis secured his fourth consecutive European pole vault title on Sunday, setting a new championship mark at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
The athlete improved the previous championship mark by five centimetres, sailing over 6.15 metres on his first attempt.
Conditions rule out world record bid
Duplantis chose not to raise the bar further or attempt to beat his own world record of 6.31m set in March as cooling, blustery conditions set in.
His victory came after a tight contest with Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis, with both athletes clearing six metres on their second attempts.
Duplantis then matched the championship record of 6.10m before raising it to 6.15m.
Karalis passed at that height and had the bar moved to 6.20m, but could not clear it on his final attempt.
Bronze went to France’s Baptiste Thierry with 5.85m.
Who is Mondo Duplantis?
Duplantis is a Swedish-American pole vaulter widely recognised as the greatest of all time.
Born to an American pole-vaulting father and a Swedish heptathlete mother, he represents Sweden, his mother’s homeland, while holding dual citizenship.
He began vaulting at just four years old, competing seriously from age seven, and turned professional after one season at Louisiana State University, where he set National Collegiate Athletic Association indoor and outdoor records.
His famous nickname “Mondo”, which means “world” in Italian, was given by his father’s Sicilian best friend when he was a toddler.
Remarkable achievements
Now 26 years old, Duplantis holds every major title in the sport, including two-time Olympic champion, three-time World outdoor champion, four-time World indoor champion, and four-time European champion.
He has broken the world record more than 15 times in his career, and his current mark of 6.31m, set in Uppsala in March 2026, stands as the highest any human has ever vaulted.
He has cleared six metres or higher over 50 times in competition, more than any vaulter in history.
Challenging road to Birmingham
What made his latest victory even more remarkable was what preceded it.
Duplantis revealed afterwards that the road to Birmingham had been far from smooth.
He married earlier this summer and, just last month, suffered a scare with a thigh injury at the London Diamond League that cast serious doubt on his ability to compete here.
“I am trying not to take it for granted. Four of these in a row is a really amazing feat, so I am trying to soak it all in and enjoy it,” he was quoted by Athletics Weekly as saying.
“The lead-up has been very difficult and stressful, but luckily, I was able to make it work.
“I am so thankful for all the help I received. I was here in one piece and felt good in the body, too.
“Being here healthy and winning gold is great.”
Duplantis praises rival
He was generous in victory, quick to credit Karalis for elevating the competition and the sport itself:
“I think people want to see me get pushed and to see a good competition. I think Emmanouil brings that out of me, and he brings the best out of the sport.
“It is a good thing for everybody. I am really proud of the way he jumped today and stepped up.”
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