Breaking his own world record three times, Olympic gold in Paris and European Championship gold in Rome.
On Monday, pole vaulter Armand Duplantis was named the male athlete of the year 2024 at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.
I don't know if it has sunk in yet. I know it's something big and something I'll definitely look back on. When I see the prize, I'll realize how special my last year was and what I achieved then, he says at a press conference ahead of the Diamond League premiere in Chinese Xiamen.
"Crazy list"
Annika Sörenstam is the only Swede to have received the award (2004). On the men's side, winners include Usain Bolt (athletics), Michael Schumacher (Formula 1), Lionel Messi (football) and Roger Federer (tennis).
It's the best athletes in history and then my name is stuck in there. It's pretty surreal.
He tells us that during the gala in Madrid, he mainly talked to active tennis star Carlos Alcaraz, as well as tennis legends Novak Djokovic (five-time winner) and Rafael Nadal (twice).
Athletics is also an individual sport, and they have almost the same camaraderie as we have in pole vaulting. It was cool to see that and hang out with them a bit.
Duplantis concluded the indoor season with a third consecutive World Championship gold in Chinese Nanjing. Now, he's starting the outdoor season with two consecutive Diamond League galas in China – Xiamen on Saturday and Shanghai on May 3.
"Push the barrier"
It was in Xiamen that the 25-year-old set last year's first of three world records. He doesn't rule out jumping high on Saturday. At the end of February this year, he improved the record to 6.27 meters.
I'm going to the galas where I can attack hard and jump as high as I can, to push the barrier. That's why I'm back here, he says.
Duplantis is asked what still drives him after all his successes.
It's a common question. It's a bit ridiculous, if I'm being honest. It doesn't work that way. Even if I've made some fantastic achievements in recent years, which I could only dream of as a child, you get used to the situation, he says and continues:
I'm super happy and satisfied with where I am, but you always want more.
