Pole vault superstar Mondo Duplantis has already etched his name into athletics history with multiple world records and Olympic success. Yet, according to someone who knows him best, the Swedish sensation may still have his best years ahead.
Duplantis’ father, Greg Duplantis, a former pole vaulter himself with a personal best of 5.80m, recently made a striking claim about his son’s potential. Despite the extraordinary heights the 24-year-old has already achieved, Greg believes the current version of Duplantis has not yet reached his athletic peak.
"I don't think he's at his peak right now," he told Red Bull. "He's only 24 and pole vaulters typically peak in their late 20s to early 30s."
A future that could redefine the sport
Duplantis has already raised the bar in pole vaulting, repeatedly pushing the world record to new heights. However, his father believes the Swedish star could reach even more astonishing marks in the coming years.
Greg highlighted that his son continues to grow stronger and refine his technique, which could translate into even higher jumps as his career progresses.
"He's still getting stronger and I think he's going to be better in four years than he is now. He's already jumping higher than anyone ever has and to predict how high he can jump is crazy. This probably does sound crazy, but I think he can get close to 6.40m. If not 6.40m. But it will require a lot of work."
The suggestion of a 6.40m vault would represent another massive leap in the sport, underlining just how high expectations remain for the reigning Olympic champion.
Mondo Duplantis focused on continuous improvement
While speculation continues about how far he can push the boundaries, Duplantis himself prefers to keep an open approach to his development.
The Swedish star acknowledged that improvement becomes more challenging at the highest level but remains committed to refining every detail of his performance.
"Improvement is harder to come by now, in every aspect, not just performance but all the little things," he said. "I keep an open mind and if I can put together everything in the right way, things can happen."
A career still on the rise
At just 24, Duplantis has already achieved what many athletes spend entire careers chasing. Yet if his father’s prediction proves accurate, the pole vault world could witness even greater milestones in the years ahead.