As he prepares to go after a fourth outdoor continental title in Birmingham, the world record holder recalls the victory in Berlin eight years ago that took him to “another level”.
Mondo Duplantis still has a long way to go in his career, but already he has a treasure trove of memories to look back on. Whether it’s the 15 world records she’s set in the pole vault, the two Olympic gold medals she’s won, her quadruple world indoor championships, her quadruple outdoor world titles, her highlight reel is long.
Picking one moment above the others is no easy task, but the 26-year-old admits the European Championship holds a special place in his heart, as it was his performance at the event in Berlin eight years ago that he feels “opened” the door to the great success he has achieved.
In 2018, at the Olympic Stadium in the capital of Germany, the then 18-year-old young man was entering the senior arena. Many were aware of the potential of the American-born Swede. he arrived as the European and World Under-20 Champion and competed in the 2017 World Championships final in London, finishing 9th.
But no one expected him to produce the fireworks he did in Berlin, winning with an under-20 world record performance of 6.05m to beat a field that included then-world record holder Renaud Lavillenie.
Duplantis has dominated his event ever since and will travel to the Alexander Stadium in August in search of his fourth European outdoor title and aim to set another world record on the final night of action in Birmingham.
He will be tested by the likes of the ever-improving Greek Emmanuel Karalis, but after suffering his first defeat in three years at the Stockholm Diamond League, Duplantis is keen to bounce back. If the going gets tough, he has a “life-changing” experience to draw upon.
“I would say Berlin is one of the greatest moments I’ve ever had,” he says, recalling that memorable night. “It was definitely the biggest breakthrough in my career and the turning point that took me to another level as an athlete.
“Mentally it opened up this different new level that I already knew I had in me. The European Championships always hold a really special place in my heart, and especially because it was a really life-changing day for me in Berlin in 2018.
After a second attempt at 5.80m in the European final, Duplantis cleared 5.85m, 5.90m, 5.95m, 6.00m and 6.05m to announce the worlds. It was the first time he cleared the legendary six-meter barrier and made him the youngest athlete ever to win the European Championships. Ask him how he did it, but the details are a little vague. It was like nothing he had ever felt before.
“Probably my worst memory of any competition would be Berlin,” he adds. “It was so surreal and euphoric and it really wasn’t real. I remember bits of it, but I remember the jumps being so inhuman. I was so in control of what I was doing, but at the same time my body just completely took over, so it was a weird feeling. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything like this before.
“It was so new to me at the time. Everything just clicked and I felt like I had it all figured out in a split second. Everything was so smooth and the timing of everything was so perfect. It was like this weird dance and free flow where I was so in tune with the jump and the pole; a strange, beautiful thing of art. that way.”
The Birmingham crowd will be able to see it for themselves on the evening of August 16th.
