Duplantis makes history in Tokyo: Swedish's 14th world record is set at 6.30 meters

Swedish Armand Duplantis simply keeps making history. In the third attempt of the men’s pole vault final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 15, Mondo Duplantis cleared the bar at 6.30 meters (20 feet, 8 inches), marking his 14th world record since 2020. The feat earned him his third world title in the event.

The journey to 6.30: when perfection takes more than one attempt

Not always do the greatest performances come on the first try. Despite executing an impressive series of jumps – 5.5, 5.85, 5.95, 6.00, 6.10, 6.15, and 6.30 – Duplantis needed nine attempts in total to seal the new milestone. It wasn’t the ideal scenario to break a record, but the final result was the same: history.

“I felt confident from the first jump,” revealed the Swedish athlete after the competition. “Warm-up, the first time on the track, everything conveyed security.” The previous record, set by Duplantis in August at the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest, was 6.29 meters. The 6.30 mark only reinforces the Swedish’s absolute dominance in the discipline.

The context: Mondo Duplantis’s unstoppable rise

At 25 years old, Duplantis has collected titles like few athletes can. Besides this third world championship in Tokyo, the Swedish previously won in Budapest and Eugene. His last two Olympic gold medals (in Tokyo and Paris) complete a nearly unbeatable record.

To put the achievement into perspective: Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie was the previous world record holder with a mark of 6.18 meters. Since then, the Swede has kept raising the bar. Greek Emmanouil Karalis finished second with a maximum of 6.00 meters, while Australian Kurtis Marschall took bronze at 5.95 meters. American Sam Kendrick, a silver medalist at the Paris Olympics, completed the podium in fourth.

The secret behind the gold: crowd energy and determination

Duplantis, who grew up in Louisiana and graduated in the US before joining LSU, has a special touch in decisive competitions. He finished his performance with confidence in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Tokyo National Stadium.

“The difference was having the spectators and all the energy from the crowd,” he explained. “It’s one of the best stadiums and atmospheres I’ve ever experienced.” Asked about his mindset, he was straightforward: “I have to make sure I win first and bring home the gold. Whatever it takes for that, I do. Then, regardless of the energy, I always aim for world record jumps.”

Swiss athlete Ditaji Kambundji also had a remarkable moment that night, winning the women’s 100-meter hurdles in 12.24 seconds. But for those following pole vault, the name that stands out is Duplantis – because at the top of the sport, there are those who simply keep climbing.