Armand Duplantis once again proved he is the undisputed king of pole vaulting, shattering his own world record for the 13th time with a stunning 6.29m leap at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Swedish superstar, who has dominated the sport since breaking Renaud Lavillenie’s long-standing mark in 2020, added another centimetre to his previous record set in June at the Stockholm Diamond League.
The 25-year-old, already a two-time Olympic and world champion, has made a habit of raising the bar – literally and figuratively – by the narrowest of margins, ensuring each record attempt becomes a spectacle.
His latest feat in Budapest came after narrowly missing his first attempt at 6.11m, before soaring past history on his second try despite a slight rattle on the bar. The moment sent the crowd into raptures as Duplantis sprinted to celebrate with his family and partner, Desire Inglander.
From Olympic glory to relentless record chasing
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This summer in Paris, Duplantis became the first man to defend an Olympic pole vault title since American Bob Richards achieved the feat in 1956.
Now, his sights are set on joining another legend – Ukraine’s Sergey Bubka – by securing three consecutive world outdoor titles when he competes in Tokyo next month. Bubka famously broke the outdoor record 17 times and the indoor record 18 times between 1984 and 1994. It is now a benchmark Duplantis seems determined to challenge.
Financial incentives have also played a role in record-breaking attempts. At designated World Athletics meetings, athletes can earn bonuses of up to $100,000 alongside competition winnings.
However, as British Olympic medallist Holly Bradshaw revealed, some organisers cap such bonuses, occasionally discouraging attempts. Even so, Duplantis’s competitive drive remains unmatched.
Eyes on the future – and higher heights
Next up is the Silesia Diamond League in Poland, where Duplantis also rewrote history last year.
Bradshaw believes the Swede is far from finished, boldly suggesting a 6.35m jump is within reach this season.
Tags: Armand Duplantis, Pole Vault, 13th word record, Hungarian Grand Prix, Desire Inglander, Bob Richards, Sergey Bubka, Holly Bradshaw, Silesia Diamond League.
