2023-09-18 21:37:44
What do a stamp, a bee, a thumbnail and the feat of Sunday September 17, 2023 have in common? It measures the same size, one centimeter. Anecdotal? Yes and no. With this extra centimeter, Armand Duplantis sets a new world record. At 23, he cleared 6.23 m during the diamond league finals in Eugene, United States, and improved his own record of 6.22 m, established last February at the All Star Perche meeting in Clermont. -Ferrand.
Before that, “Mondo” as Duplantis is nicknamed, had cleared 6.21 m during the World Athletics Championships in July 2022 just a few months after 6.20 m in March of the same year, indoors in Belgrade. The young prodigy is therefore progressing centimeter by centimeter, continuing to widen the gap with the competition. But then why, if he is alone and far in front, only improve his mark by inches in the singular?
“First of all, to make history, the objective is to be the greatest pole vaulter of all time,” replies Philippe Collet. The former professional pole vaulter calculates in his head: “With one or two world records per year, for another five, six years, that could take him to 6.35 m, which would be just mind-blowing. » A record that seems crazy, but imaginable for the former champion, who compares the young Swede to the legend Sergei Bubka.
“We pretty much all know that he can be 6.30 m, he’s worth it now”
With his 35 world records broken (at the time we distinguished between indoor and outdoor records, which is no longer the case), the Ukrainian is still far ahead. “I don’t think Mondo will beat this number of records one day,” says Philippe d’Encausse, Renaud Lavillenie’s trainer. But it would be stupid to do 10 cm in one go and no longer break a world record. Perch is a matter of statistics. If I were his coach, the goal would be for him to last as long as possible. »
Beyond keeping track of time by accumulating records, the centimeter strategy also, and above all, allows us to maintain the possibility of doing better. “Any athlete would do the same thing, it allows them to stay in the game, to maintain motivation over the long term,” adds Philippe Collet. Because we pretty much all know that he can be 6.30 m, he’s worth it right now. » Let us note, however, that before crossing 6.23 m this Sunday, touching the bar, Duplantis attempted it 24 times during the summer (3 jumps in 8 competitions). Proof that every centimeter remains a challenge, even for him.
The last one grabbed this Sunday allowed “Mondo” to win the “Diamond Trophy” and pocket $30,000. At this summer’s World Championships in Budapest, the gold medal in an individual event brought in more than double that, $70,000, while a world record broken during the competition earned an additional $100,000. And it is undoubtedly appropriate to add to this the performance bonuses paid by its sponsors.
If for Philippe Collet like Philippe d’Encausse, the financial aspect is taken into account in this centimeter strategy, it remains secondary. “It is not as important as for Sergueï Bubka for whom it was essential to monetize his performances,” underlines Philippe Collet. Questioned on the subject in 2020 by our colleagues from The Team, Mondo had replied: “If I try on purpose centimeter by centimeter? I don’t really know what to say to that. I have no idea how many times I could break a world record, I just try to go as high as possible. »
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