Mondo Duplantis breaks pole vault world record for 13th time

Pole Vault Prodigy Duplantis Clears Sky at 6.29 Meters

Swedish star Mondo Duplantis continues his reign atop the pole vault world, shattering the record yet again. This time, he soared to a breathtaking 6.29 meters (20 feet 7 1/2 inches) in Budapest, Hungary, marking his 13th world record.

Duplantis' Calculated Climb

Each of Duplantis' record-breaking jumps has followed a deliberate strategy – increasing the bar by a mere centimeter each time. This approach echoes that of legendary Ukrainian vaulter Sergey Bubka, who mastered the art of maximizing bonus money with incremental gains throughout the 1980s and '90s. Bubka broke both the indoor and outdoor world records a staggering number of times before World Athletics unified them in 1994.

From Lavillenie's Reign to Duplantis' Dominance

The previous record of 6.16 meters stood for nearly a decade, set by Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie in 2014. Duplantis first surpassed that mark in February 2020, launching his own era of unparalleled dominance. Since then, he has lost just four times while accumulating over 80 victories, according to Tilastopaja.org.

Chasing History at the World Championships

Duplantis' eyes are now set on another historic feat: becoming the second man to win three consecutive world outdoor pole vault titles, following in the footsteps of Bubka, who secured six straight crowns from 1983 to 1997. His quest for glory begins next month at the World Athletics Championships.