Pole Vault Phenom Duplantis Chases Perfection, Not Records

Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis, the 25-year-old pole vault sensation, has been rewriting the record books over the past few years. As of 2025-08-15T06:40:44+00:00, he has set an impressive 13 world records in the sport. However, Duplantis is not one to dwell on the numbers or his own limits.

"I'm not a big numbers guy... I don't really care about limits," he says. Instead, Duplantis focuses on the present, chasing the perfect jump and constantly striving to improve. He describes his mindset as having a "short-term memory loss" when it comes to his achievements, quickly moving on to the next challenge.

This drive and internal motivation have propelled Duplantis to the top of the sport. Just last month, he set another world record of 6.29m in Budapest, but he's already moved on, looking ahead to the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo. Duplantis is "super excited" to return to the stadium where he won his first Olympic gold in 2021, this time with fans in attendance.

The memory of that silent Olympic victory still lingers, and Duplantis believes the presence of spectators could provide that extra push he needs to reach new heights. As he prepares for the World Championships, Duplantis remains unfazed by the pressure and expectations, maintaining a calm, "Zen-like" approach that sets him apart from other athletes.

With his constant progression and unwavering focus, Duplantis continues to redefine the limits of pole vault, driven by an insatiable desire to be the best version of himself, rather than chasing specific records or numbers.