Mondo Duplantis: "The European Champs were life-changing"
As he prepares to go after a fourth outdoor continental title in Birmingham, the world record-holder remembers the win in Berlin eight years ago that took him to "a different level".
Mondo Duplantis is still a long way from the end of his career, but already he has a treasure trove of memories to look back on. Whether it’s the 15 pole vault world records he has set to date, the two Olympic gold medals he has won, the three world titles outdoors of the quartet of world indoor championships victories, his highlights reel is a long one.
Picking out one moment above all others is no easy task, but the 26-year-old admits that the European Championships has a special place in his heart, because it was his performance at the event, eight years ago in Berlin, that he feels “unlocked” the door to all of the major success he has gone on to achieve.
At the Olympic Stadium in the German capital in 2018, the then 18-year-old was emerging on to the senior scene. Many were aware of the American-born Swede’s potential - he arrived as the European and world U20 champion, and had competed in the final of the 2017 World Championships in London, finishing ninth.
But no-one was expecting him to quite produce the fireworks he did in Berlin, winning with a world U20 record-breaking performance of 6.05m to defeat a field that contained the then world record-holder Renaud Lavillenie.
Duplantis has dominated his event ever since and will travel to the Alexander Stadium in August looking for his fourth European title outdoors, and with the intent of producing another world record on the final night of action in Birmingham.
He will be tested by the likes of the ever-improving Greek Emmanouil Karalis but, after experiencing his first defeat in three years at the Stockholm Diamond League, Duplantis wants to get back on top. Should the going get tough, then he has a "life-changing" experience to call on for inspiration.
“I would say that Berlin is one of the biggest moments I've had,” he says, thinking back to that memorable night. “It was definitely the biggest breakthrough in my career and the pivotal moment that took me to another level as an athlete.
“Mentally, it unlocked this different new level that I already knew I had in me. The European Championships always has a really special place in my heart, and especially because it was a really life-changing day for me in Berlin in 2018. It was the start of everything that was to come, so it was very special.”
After a second attempt to clear 5.80m in that European final, Duplantis went over 5.85m, 5.90m, 5.95m, 6.00m and 6.05m to announce himself to the world. It was the first time he cleared the fabled six-metre barrier and made him the youngest athlete ever to win a field event in European Championships history. Ask him how he did it, though, and the details are a little hazy. It was like nothing he had felt before.
“Probably my worst memory of any competition would be Berlin,” he adds. “It was just so surreal and euphoric, and it didn't really feel real. I remember bits and pieces of it, but I remember the jumps were so out of body. I was so wildly in control of what I was doing, but then at the same time my body just totally took over, so it was a strange feeling. I don't think I've really had anything quite to that extent again.
“In that moment, it was so new to me. Everything just clicked, and it just felt like, in one second, I had figured the whole thing out. Everything was so smooth and the timing of everything was so perfect. It was like this weird dance and free flowing where I was so in tune with the jump and the pole – a weird, beautiful art thing. And then from there I've been better. It was a real breakthrough and [since then] I’ve stayed on that path.”
On the evening of August 16, the Birmingham crowd will get to see that for themselves.
