Armand Duplantis is alien. At the Paris Olympics, the Swede, the best pole vaulter in history, broke the Olympic record (previously 6.03 m) and the world record with a jump of up to 6.25 meters in height at the Stade de France. The Nordic athlete won his second consecutive Olympic gold and brought the entire stadium to its feet by improving his mark on the last attempt.
The Swede, considered a traitor in the United States for competing for his mother’s country (Sweden) and not under its flag, only had one rival for the gold: himself. He was already a champion by clearing the 6-meter mark, a height that Kendricks (silver) and Karalis (bronze) could not reach. His desire to excel and his immense talent catapulted him into the most difficult situation yet.
At the European Championships in Rome, the pole vaulter had already reached a height of 6.10 meters but was unable to clear the 6.25-meter mark. However, he was not far off and gave the impression of absolute dominance in his discipline. In Paris, Duplantis reached for the sky to confirm that he is light years ahead of the rest.
His biggest enemy was himself.
The first attempt made it clear that he had it within his reach. After a perfect race, with his refined technique and momentum soaring, Duplantis was millimeters away from breaking the 6.25, but he pushed himself off with his hands, and the attempt was void. Protocol said that the medals for the 100 meters had to be awarded, but this was done before the second attempt because Duplantis’ sporting prowess deserved it.
The public, the organizers, and the athletes knew that they were facing a historic moment. There was no luck with the second jump either. For a moment, Duplantis could remember the same thing that happened in Rome last June, when his best attempt had been the first. The Swede touched the bar with his arms and feet.
Everything changed on the third try, when he achieved eternal glory in an image that will go down in history. Kendricks and Karalis congratulated him on a historic milestone, and they embraced each other emotionally as applause and shouts of joy cascaded in. The Swedish genius managed to break the world record he previously held for the ninth time.
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