Duplantis breaks pole vault world record for 14th time to capture third world championship title

By Canadian Press on September 15, 2025.

TOKYO (AP) — Armand “Mondo” Duplantis broke the pole vault world record for the 14th time Monday night, clearing 6.30 meters to capture his third world championship.

Duplantis, who grew up in Louisiana but competes for his mother’s native Sweden, easily won his 49th straight meet and fifth straight major title, including Olympics, then kept the crowd around for another drama-rich half-hour to watch him go for the record.

He cleared his top height on his third and final try — the bar still bouncing but not falling as he leaped off the mat and jumped into second-place finisher Emmanouil Karalis’ arms to start the celebration.

Duplantis gets $70,000 for the victory plus a $100,000 bonus for setting the record at the world championships.

The 25-year-old first broke the record on Feb. 8, 2020, clearing 6.17 meters and knocking France’s 2012 Olympic champion, Renaud Lavillenie, off the top spot.

Since then, Duplantis has improved upon the record by one centimeter every time, giving him more opportunities to pocket bonuses like the one he gets at this event.

As great a showman as an athlete, Duplantis shared handshakes and hugs after Karalis missed at 6.20 meters to gurantee Duplantis the win. He headed over to the edge of the track to consult with his coach, walked over and took a seat, then stood up, chalked up his hands and let the drama begin.

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Eddie Pells, The Associated Press