Armand Duplantis cemented his place as athletics’ modern-day phenomenon by soaring over 6.30m to claim his 14th world record and third consecutive world title in Tokyo.
The Swedish star, known as ‘Mondo,’ sealed gold with a first-time clearance at 6.15m before raising the bar to uncharted heights.
As rhythmic applause built, Duplantis flew over the mark on his final attempt, sparking wild celebrations long after midnight.
“It’s better than I could have imagined,” he told the crowd. “To give you guys this world record is amazing. I’m just so happy.”
At 25, Duplantis has now won the past eight global titles on offer, indoor and outdoor, and extended his unbeaten streak to 37 competitions.
His dominance has left rivals both awed and resigned. Greek silver medallist Emmanouil Karalis, who pushed him with a personal best of 6.08m, even fanned Duplantis between jumps.
Australia’s Kurtis Marschall, the bronze medallist, captured the sentiment: “Mondo is from another planet – he is doing incredible things, things many people thought were impossible.”
Duplantis, who first broke the world record in 2020, has methodically raised it centimetre by centimetre, now clearing a height higher than the average giraffe.
Former Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill praised his composure: “Moments like this take your breath away. No-one knows Duplantis’ limits.”
