Former LSU star sets men's pole vault world record in gold medal performance

Duplantis secured gold earlier with a 6.10m vault but wanted to surpass the previous world record (6.24m) he set at a Diamond League event in Xiamen, China on April 20.

Duplantis, 24, was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, and went to LSU as a freshman before turning pro. His mother, Helena, is a Swedish former heptathlon athlete, while his father, Greg, is a former pole vaulter who recorded his personal best (5.80m) in July 1993.

Duplantis' Olympic feat is one of several times he's raised the bar, literally and figuratively, in the men's pole vault. He has set the world record on nine occasions, first with a 6.17m vault in Torun, Poland, in February 2020.

Per Nola.com's Scott Rabalais, with his historic performance on Monday, Duplantis became the second two-time Olympic men's pole vault gold medalist, joining American Bob Richards (1952 Helsinki, 1956 Melbourne), and the third to break the men's pole vault world record at the Olympics (Frank Foss, 1920; Wladyslaw Kozakiewicz, 1980)

He previously won gold in Tokyo at the pandemic-delayed 2021 Olympics medals. Duplantis also has three European Championships first-place finishes (2018 Berlin, 2022 Munich, 2024 Rome), as well as three Diamond League titles, and four combined World Championships (indoor and outdoor) gold medals.

By all measures, Duplantis is the best pole vaulter the world has seen. His mammoth final vault at the 2024 Paris Olympics could be the enduring memory of his already legendary career.