Mondo Duplantis says his edge in pole vaulting comes down to one thing: runway speed – and, unlike most of his predecessors, he relies on specially designed sprinting spikes to maximize it.
The 25-year-old Swede set his 13th world record last month by clearing 6.29 meters and will aim for a third consecutive world title at next week’s championships in Tokyo.
Speaking Thursday at a Puma event in the Japanese capital, Duplantis emphasized his close involvement in the evolution of his footwear.
“It’s super important from the innovation side, and I’ve been so thankful to the Puma family for letting me have a big voice in what I want and need,” he said. “The shoe I compete in now is completely different from our first version. I love the development of the nitrofoam, but also the shape and everything else I need to perform at my best.”
Data from the event showed that Duplantis approaches the bar faster than any of his rivals – only Emmanouil Karalis and Chris Nilsen have cleared six meters this season.
“It’s very obvious that the one who is fastest on the runway and creates the most energy is probably the one who is going to jump the highest,” said Duplantis, who was raised in the U.S. but represents the country of his mother, a former Swedish international heptathlete.
“Historically, the pole vault spike was super flat, and I think people were too hyper-focused on the takeoff point and kind of miscalculated versus the speed.
“I take 20 steps, and that’s only the last step. So really, it was just making it almost into a sprint spike with a little modification for a pole vault sole, for that extra support at takeoff.”
Fans wondering if Duplantis will chase the world record in Tokyo, as he did at the Paris Olympics last year, should watch his feet to see if he’s wearing the “claw” version of his spikes, which appear for special occasions.
“I could really feel the benefit from the very beginning – just that extra little, tiny grip and the way that I’m able to push in the first few steps and build up speed with it,” he said of the claw.
“Sometimes I catch my hand on the inversion part of the jump, so if you ever see blood on me it’s because of that. That’s why I don’t use it every time, but when they come out, then you know it’s business time.”
Duplantis showed off his natural speed last year when he beat Norwegian 400-meter hurdles world record holder Karsten Warholm over 100 meters, clocking 10.37 seconds.
“I showed you a little bit that I’m capable of something, I really did enjoy it,” he said of the event.
“I do mostly sprint training and I just sprinkle in some pole vault because I’ve vaulted for a lifetime already, so sprinting is the main focus of my efforts to get better.”
Despite his speed and love for track, Duplantis dismissed any suggestion that he might switch to sprinting more seriously.
“I think the best, most primal, amazing feeling in the whole world is sprinting,” he said. “That split second before the gun goes off – it’s the craziest bundle of energy in the whole world.”
