Armand Duplantis: Why 'Mondo' can jump higher than anyone realises – and he gets it from his father

If you think we've already seen the best of Armand Duplantis, think again. After another season where he’s turned the impossible into a habit, the question is no longer whether he’ll win, but when he’ll next push the boundaries of what a human can do with a pole in their hand. For those who follow athletics, Armand Duplantis has become more a force of nature than a run-of-the-mill athlete. But what exactly drives this young Swede? And just how high can he actually jump?

Family DNA: From Louisiana to the World Record

You don’t have to search far for the source of ‘Mondo’s’ extraordinary talent. It’s quite literally in his blood. Behind the calm Swede lies a family story that’s more American than Scandinavian. His father, Greg Duplantis, was a capable pole vaulter himself in college in the US, but it’s as a coach and visionary that he’s made his mark. Together with his mother, Helena Duplantis, a former Swedish volleyball player and heptathlon champion, they’ve created a backyard in Louisiana that resembles a high-tech pole vault laboratory.

The sporting world rarely speaks with such one voice about a single family. Greg built the facility, Helena handles the mental and physiological side, and then you have Armand, simply genetically blessed with the perfect blend of explosiveness and technical skill. It’s no coincidence. It’s been engineered since childhood.

Who can challenge Mondo? The Greek who refuses to give up

While Duplantis reigns supreme in a league of his own, there is one man who has refused to play the role of an extra. Emmanouil Karalis from Greece has shown this season that he can push the Swede in a way we haven’t seen since the days of Sam Kendricks. The World Indoor Championships in Nanjing were closer than ever. Karalis isn’t just keeping up; he’s found a consistency that makes him the only one capable of stealing headlines from Mondo right now.

But let’s be honest. Even when Karalis hits his peak, it seems Duplantis just finds another gear. It reminds me of when Sergey Bubka dominated. The difference is, Mondo has a raw power and a speed on the runway that Bubka never possessed.

Can he jump 6.40 metres? The experts' wild theory

The big talk right now, of course, is: where does it end? In athletics circles, people have long whispered about 6.30 metres. But after recent weeks' training footage and technical tweaks, where Greg Duplantis has once again fine-tuned Mondo’s approach, the question has shifted. Sources close to the camp suggest that if you look at Mondo’s physical potential in isolation, 6.40 metres is no longer an impossible dream.

It sounds absurd, I know. But when you look at the data his father and team are working with, it’s all about maximising speed in the final metres. If they crack that code, we suddenly have a new standard that could last for generations. It’s no longer a matter of “if”, but “when” we’ll have to get used to seeing six-forty on the scoreboard.

Focus on ‘Aiming for New Heights’ and the mental calm

The documentary Duplantis – Aiming for New Heights gave us a rare glimpse into the mental approach. Many realised that Armand isn’t just a robot churning out records. He’s a young man carrying immense pressure, but who has found a way to make it a game. This is where Jesse Duplantis (his older brother, ed.) comes in. As a videographer and trusted confidant, he helps keep the atmosphere light and familial, even when the world is watching.

They’ve created a bubble. A bubble where the father is the hard-nosed technician, the mother is the foundation, and the brothers are the ones who make sure Mondo can be Mondo. It’s the perfect cocktail.

Why the Duplantis phenomenon is bigger than pole vaulting

What makes Armand Duplantis so fascinating isn’t just the centimetres. It’s the whole package:

• The raw power: He combines a sprinter’s speed with a gymnast’s body control.
• The family narrative: The story of Greg and Helena, who built a world champion in their backyard, is straight out of a Hollywood movie.
• The consistency: He virtually never fails. In a sport where so much can go wrong, he’s a guaranteed show.

So next time you see Armand Duplantis grip the pole, keep an eye on the small entourage in the stands. It’s the father with his arms crossed, the mother biting her nails, and the brothers filming. Because it’s not just an athlete taking a jump. It’s a family chasing perfection. And if anyone can reach 6.40 metres, it’s that family.