Lafayette’s Duplantis Sets Another Pole Vault World Record
Lafayette native Armand Duplantis set his second world pole vault record in as many weeks when he vaulted 6.18 meters (20 feet, 4 inches) at an indoor meet Saturday in Glasgow, Scotland.
Duplantis, who broke his own week old mark, is now firmly established as the favorite in the pole vault at this summer's Olympics in Tokyo.
But the Duplantis records are not without controversy, as the 20-year-old who was born in Louisiana won't represent the USA in Japan. Here's the nytimes.com explanation:
"Duplantis, known widely as Mondo, has already been selected to compete at the Tokyo Games, where he will be a favorite to win gold. But he will wear the blue and gold uniform of Sweden, his mother’s home country, instead of the red, white and blue of the United States.
If he had sought to represent the United States at the Olympics, Duplantis would have had to finish among the top three vaulters at the Olympic track and field trials in June. One bad day, trouble with his technique or adverse weather conditions would present the risk of having to wait another four years to compete in the Summer Games."
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