Mondo Duplantis shatters own pole vault record

Armand Mondo Duplantis warmed up for the World Athletics Indoor Championships in style by breaking his own pole vault world record at the Belgrade Indoor Meeting.

Mondo Duplantis strode into the record books with a 6.19m clearance at the Belgrade Indoor Meeting, a World Indoor Tour Silver competition. His previous best was a world-record 6.18m clearance set at the World Athletics Indoor Tour in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2020.

The 22-year-old Duplantis attempted the same height on numerous occasions over the past two years. He even came close to clearing it several times this indoor season but couldn't.

---

Read: Dame Valerie Adams announces retirement from shot put

---

However, after returning to the venue where he cleared a world-leading 6.10m last year, Mondo Duplantis nailed it.

---

Mondo Duplantis opens well

Armand Duplantis opened his series with a first-time clearance of 5.61m, with all of his opponents having exited earlier in the competition. He then cleared 5.85m and 6.00m on his next vaults.

He had the bar raised to 6.19m and missed his first two tries. On his third and final try, he gave the bar a slight nudge with his knees but it remained in place before he leapt up from the landing mat and punched the air in celebration.

Speaking after the world record feat, Duplantis said:

"I think I've tried 6.19m 50 times. It's been a long time coming. I've never had a height that has given me that much trouble, so it's a very good feeling. It was really hard fought over these past two years. I'm really happy."

Duplantis has now set three world records in the pole vault. This includes 6.17m in Torun in February 2020, followed by 6.18m a week later in Glasgow, and now 6.19m in Belgrade. He’ll return to Belgrade next for the World Indoor Championships, which will be held from March 18 to 20.

---