After clinching victory by clearing 6.07 meters, Duplantis set his sights even higher, raising the bar to an astonishing 6.27 meters. He soared over it effortlessly on his first attempt, cementing his status as the undisputed king of pole vaulting.
“I felt incredible out there,” Duplantis shared after his record-breaking jump. “Everything just clicked. I came here with one goal, and I made it happen. The runway felt perfect, and I executed exactly as I wanted.”
Reflecting on the journey to this moment, the 25-year-old acknowledged the challenges behind his success. “It’s not always easy. There are tough days, setbacks, and a lot of hard work. But it’s all worth it when you get to experience moments like this. Breaking a world record never gets old—it’s pure euphoria.”
This marks the 11th time Duplantis has broken the world record, each time incrementally raising the bar since his first record of 6.16 meters in February 2020.
Adding a personal flair to his victory, Duplantis ensured his recently released song, ‘Bop’, played in the arena during his jump. “I wanted this song to be part of the moment,” he explained. “When I created it a few months ago, I imagined it playing during a competition like this. Hearing it today, everything felt perfect—just as I’d envisioned.”
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| Sweden’s Armand Duplantis competes in the men’s pole vault event during the All Star Perche international indoor athletics pole vaulting meeting, at the Maison des Sports arena in Clermont-Ferrand, central France, on February 28, 2025. (Photo by OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE / AFP) |
Though he declined to sing his own track post-victory, citing a hoarse voice from cheering, Duplantis expressed pride in the song’s role in his performance. “I wasn’t sure if jumping to my own music would feel strange, but it actually put me in the right mindset. It sounded great, and I loved it.”
This isn’t the first time Clermont-Ferrand has been the stage for Duplantis’s record-breaking feats. In February 2023, he cleared 6.22 meters at the same event. “I love competing here,” he said. “The atmosphere is incredible, and I always perform well. That’s why I chose to skip the European Indoor Championships—this place just feels right.”
Duplantis’s next stop will be Uppsala, Sweden, on March 13, where he’ll compete in a meet he’s organizing himself. After that, he’ll head to the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, from March 21-23.
When asked about his next big goal—clearing 6.30 meters—Duplantis playfully responded, “28, 29,” hinting at his relentless drive to keep pushing the limits of his sport.
For now, though, the Olympic champion is savoring his latest achievement. “I’m going to enjoy this moment, celebrate tonight, and just take it all in,” he said with a smile.