Armand Duplantis clears 6.31m to set 15th pole vault world record
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Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis after winning the Mondo Classic indoor meet on March 12, when he set a new world record by clearing 6.31m.
PHOTO: REUTERS
UPPSALA – Armand Duplantis spoke about his “great pride” for Sweden on March 12, after he broke the pole vault world record for the 15th time at the Mondo Classic indoor meet that bears his name in Uppsala, clearing 6.31m on his first attempt.
The 26-year-old Swede broke the record he has owned since clearing 6.17m in 2020.
He took only four vaults at the indoor event in his adopted home town.
After clearing 5.65m, 5.90m and then 6.08m, all on his first attempts, he asked for the bar to be lifted 23cm to a world-record height.
Duplantis immediately soared over to end his evening’s work, improving on his own previous mark at the world championships in Tokyo in September 2025 by 1cm.
Unlike most track and field disciplines, pole vault has a single world record covering both indoor and outdoor performances.
It was the second time that he has broken the world record in Sweden. He cleared 6.28m in Stockholm in June 2025, one of four world-record leaps in 2025.
“This is my home,” Duplantis told the crowd. “This is our home. That’s how it is. And you know that every time I’m on the track, I represent you. And I do it with great pride.
“I am so proud to have been able to do this in front of you. I jump for myself, I jump for my family, but I also jump for you, for Sweden, and for everyone who supports me.”
He then told Swedish broadcaster SVT: “If someone comes to Sweden to challenge me, they will find it even harder to beat me. I am very emotional right now. There was extra pressure because I wanted to achieve something different. Breaking the world record here is truly incredible.”
Duplantis said that he had lengthened his run-up to better control a stiffer pole.
“I tried to do something new and push myself to the limit. It’s a really great feeling,” he added.
Sondre Guttormsen of Norway was second with a leap of 6.00m.
Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis, who cleared 6.17m at the Greek indoor championships earlier in 2026 – the highest mark by any vaulter other than Duplantis – failed three times at 6.00m.
Duplantis will have a chance to rewrite his brand new world record at the March 20-22 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland, where he will meet the Greek again. AFP, REUTERS
