PARIS — Pole-vault world record holder Armand Duplantis said that he is focused on Olympic gold at this year’s Games in Paris and a new world record would be a bonus, as he prepares to compete at this month’s Diamond League meeting in China.
Duplantis broke his own world record last year with a leap of 6.23 metres.
“There’s a lot of things that have to add up and be perfect for me to break a world record, and a lot of things that are also out of my control, as far as conditions – you need still winds, and warm weather,” said the Swedish in an interview with Reuters.
“The most important thing going into the Olympics is always to win and to secure the gold medal, and if I’m able to do that then I will look onwards after that, but right now you have more of the focus on making sure you get the job done first before biting off more than you can chew,” he added.
The 24-year-old Swede said he prepares psychologically by sticking to his routine.
“Just try to trust the process, trust the training and trust that everything is where it should be, and hopefully it will be at that time when it’s the Olympic time,” he said, adding: “Of course it’s going to be a little more tough sleeping because you’re going to be a bit more anxious.”
Athletes will have more free rein to post their wins and thank sponsors on social media during this year’s Games, as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) plans to relax rules governing online marketing in a pilot project with the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry, which the two organisations say will benefit athletes’ personal brands.
“Of course, social media is huge for any athlete nowadays, it’s where you can have the biggest reach to people,” said Duplantis, who has 547,000 followers on his Instagram account.
“For me being a pole vaulter, I think it’s a great thing for a little bit more of a niche sport, to try to reach as many people as possible, and for people to see and hopefully more people will try it.”
Duplantis clinched his second World Indoor Pole Vault Championship title in Glasgow last month but had to dig deep to overcome one of the toughest competitions of his career.
Since his defeat as a collegiate athlete at the 2019 Doha World Championships, where he finished second, Duplantis has dominated every major championship he has entered. Under pressure, the Swede found his way.
A few minutes later, a preliminary failure at 5.95m added another layer of tension, but again he responded like the champion he is, clearing the height on his second attempt.
Duplantis reclaimed his top spot just in time, once again proving he’s in a league of his own. He then attempted to break his own world record by one centimetre after clearing 6.05m, but it wasn’t to be his day.
“This was the hardest I’ve ever worked,” Duplantis confessed. “It took a lot out of me today. More than I would have liked. A bit sloppier than I’d prefer as well, especially with some of those attempts.
“Even though I was the favourite, pole vaulting is challenging even at heights I should easily clear. I was up against it quite a few times and I’m relieved I managed to pull it off on the third attempt.”
Elsewhere, Olympic and world champion triple jumper Yulimar Rojas will miss the Paris Games due to injury.
The Venezuelan world record holder said on social media that she had injured her Achilles tendon while training.
“My heart is broken and I feel so much sadness that I want to apologise for not being able to represent you in Paris 2024,” said Rojas.
“It has been a very difficult time.”
Rojas claimed her fourth straight world title in Budapest last year in a memorable performance, when she leapt 15.08 metres in her final attempt to overtake Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk of Ukraine.
She also collected silver at the Rio Olympics.
“I wish great success to our Venezuelan delegation in Paris 2024,” said Rojas. “See you soon, with the same dreams and desire.”
