Mondo Duplantis is inching closer and closer to being, undisputedly, the world's best pole vaulter.
On Sunday, the Lafayette (LA) High School graduate and Louisiana State University signee won the European Championships in Berlin, Germany, with a new ratification-pending World Junior Record in the pole vault with a clearance of 6.05 meters (19 feet, 10.25 inches), tying the 10th best mark all-time.
It is a new national record in Sweden, as well as the United States (see below).
The world record in the pole vault was set in 1994 by Sergey Bubka, who competed for Ukraine and cleared 6.14 meters. Bubka owns the top nine marks in the world all-time and has five other marks at 6.05, which Duplantis just cleared--three others in the world all-time have also cleared that height.
It was a remarkable performance, and his most breathtaking win, and a sign that Duplantis, who already owns the World Junior Record, is the world's very best at just 18 years of age.
The clearance also represents a new PR by nearly five inches, with his last career mark issued at the Louisiana State Championships in May with a mark of 19-5.5 (5.93 meters).
Duplantis' schedule this summer has included a Diamond League win, three more high finishes in Diamond League events, an international win in France, a U20 World Championship in Finland, a Folksam Grand Prix win, and now a European Championship.
And on Sunday, it was his best performance yet.
Duplantis' series included nearly flawless execution, with a miss at just one height (5.80 meters). Otherwise, the 18-year-old cleared 5.50, 5.65, 5.85, 5.90, 5.95, 6.0 and 6.05 on his first attempts.
Duplantis watched from afar as Timur Morgunov, who finished second, missed three attempts at 6.05, while the Louisiana native's idol, Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie, fell to third after clearing 5.95 and failing to clear one attempt at 6.0 meters and two at 6.05.
Duplantis didn't take another run after both athletes completed their attempts.
Recent Davis Senior High School (CA) graduate and Norway international Sondre Guttormsen was tied for sixth at the European Championships with a mark of 5.75 meters.
Update:
According to Becca Gillespy of Pole Vault Power, Duplantis' vault will be ratified as an American record. Since Duplantis was born in the United States and is an American citizen, his performances are also considered under the USATF umbrella.
Duplantis' vault surpasses the former record of 6.04 meters formerly held by Brad Walker, who set the mark in 2008.
You can find more information on Pole Vault Power's timeline here.
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