Just over two hours after the incredible scenes in Tokyo, Armand Duplantis stepped into a press conference room in the basement of the National Arena.
In front of him, he had journalists from all corners of the world.
Everyone was there to hear the 25-year-old's words about the World Championship gold and the world record jump of 6.30 meters - and welcomed him with applause.
Less than you think, he says to the question about what thoughts he had in his head during the last jump.
I just tried to keep it as simple as possible, do the best jump I could. I tried to stay calm, get energy from everyone and do the jump I know I can do.
Incredible show
Earlier in the Tokyo evening, it was not the words that were the show.
It was pole vaulting.
Just like during the Olympic Games in Paris last year, the athletics evening in Tokyo came to be about one person: Armand Duplantis.
Alone on the scene, he offered an incredible show.
After the World Championship gold was secured – his third in a row in his career – he mesmerized the audience at the National Arena for a while longer.
And the spectators were with him on every little thing that unfolded.
The applause rumbled softly when the competitor and silver medalist Emmanouil Karalis helped the Swede to cool down by holding up a large fan. The star got the audience to change their clapping rhythm at his two first attempts at 6.30 meters, the world record height.
Two small but straight misses were followed by a hiss.
The third and last was something completely different.
Music was started in the arena, the spectators came to life even more and when Duplantis glided over 6.30 meters, the spectators burst out in a roar.
Near during the Olympic Games
However, the star himself screamed the loudest.
I was close to the world record here during the Olympic Games, so it was nice to manage it now, he says.
I made more jumps than is optimal for taking a world record, but I was pushed by Emmanouil.
He bounced up from the mat, was hugged by his pole vaulting friends and after having freed himself, he, via a detour, made his way to his fiancée Desiré Inglander.
A while later, he offered the audience the traditional victory kiss.
New jubilation awaited.
It was really incredible and it was better than I could have imagined. I'm just so happy, so happy.
