With thirteen world records, three of them this season, and a plethora of noble medals as well as other major awards, Armand Duplantis' superiority is clear.
Yet, there are moments that make the athletics star nervous.
The qualifying round in Tokyo was one such thing.
There, he cleared 5.75 meters and finished among the top twelve to qualify for the final on Monday. A height that can be considered modest for the 25-year-old, whose world record is significantly higher, 6.29 meters.
I get nervous before I compete, especially before qualifying rounds, he says.
But once I've started, it goes well. Then it feels like: "I know what I'm doing anyway".
"The world's best"
Todd Lane, the athletics coach at Duplantis' former university in Louisiana, is one of many who has experienced how strong the star is mentally and compares him to Tadej Pogacar, cycling, and Kobe Bryant, basketball.
The greatest athletes have a mentality that is unshakeable, he says to BBC.
Swedish national team coach Kajsa Bergqvist:
"Mondo" is incredibly privileged in his situation, being the world's best at what he does. But it also brings a lot of pressure when he comes to championships. Everyone expects him to win, she says.
He also has that pressure on himself. But I don't think I've ever met an active athlete who handles it as incredibly well as he does.
Handling nervousness is part of the explanation for Armand Duplantis' greatness. Another is the technique.
Unique speed
And when it comes to that part, it can be divided into several small details. One is the speed. The British BBC writes that he takes 20 steps in the approach and reaches 10.3 meters per second – which is a big difference compared to other pole vaulters. Then he puts the pole in the hole in a different way than many others, which allows him to maintain the speed in the jump.
I need to feel good in my legs, that's the most important thing. I need to feel fast, light, and springy, says Duplantis.
Additionally, the technique is also about grip, timing, and rotation.
On Monday, Armand Duplantis will show his skill again, as he chases his third consecutive World Championship gold after the successes in Eugene 2022 and Budapest 2023 – and the fourth world record of the season.
I have good opportunities to jump high here, and that's what I want to do, he says.
Anders Wallin/TT
Facts: Armand Duplantis
TT
Born: November 10, 1999, in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA (25 years old).
Event: Pole vault.
Club: Upsala IF.
Selection of merits: Olympic Games gold 2024, 2020, World Championship gold 2022, 2023, World Championship gold (indoor) 2022, 2024, 2025, European Championship gold 2018, 2022, 2024. Set a world record – for the 13th time – in Budapest when he cleared 6.29 meters on August 12.
Current: Can take his third consecutive World Championship gold outdoors and set a world record for the 14th time in Monday's final in Tokyo.
