By Chang-Ran Kim
TOKYO (Reuters) -Pole vault sensation Mondo Duplantis has made a habit of renewing the world record almost every time he competes and he sees the world championships in Tokyo as no exception, saying he would attempt a gravity-defying 6.30 metres in the final.
The 25-year-old vaulter’s confidence and dominance were on full display on Saturday, when he sailed through the qualifiers with just two comfortable attempts that looked like nothing more than a warm-up routine.
“I feel like I didn’t really have to push it so hard,” the U.S.-born Duplantis, who competes under the Swedish flag, said, after clearing 5.75m to qualify for Monday’s final.
“The jumps felt nice and easy. The track feels amazing, it feels super fast.”
Asked if he would attempt 6.30m – one centimetre up on his current record set last month in Budapest – he said, “That’s what I want to do. I feel like it’s possible… I feel like it’s in the cards.”
On Saturday, Duplantis launched himself far above the bar, wowing the crowd at the sold-out National Stadium, where he clinched his first global title four years ago, except that time it was to deafening silence at the pandemic-hit, spectator-less Tokyo Games.
The two-times Olympic and world champion has said Tokyo was a “bucket-list place” after he was robbed of roaring cheers and celebrations there for his breakthrough moment at the Olympics held in 2021.
Duplantis relished the vastly changed atmosphere on the opening day of the World Athletics Championships.
“I’m so happy that we’re able to have spectators and stuff. You get the real experience with them. Super beautiful and energetic and better than I could have even imagined,” he said of being back in the spot where he won his first global gold.
Among those vying for the other spots on the podium, Olympic bronze medallist Emmanouil Karalis of Greece also got through on two attempts, clearing 5.75m. Sam Kendricks of the U.S. and Kurtis Marschall of Australia also went through on 5.75m.
Duplantis has shone a rare spotlight on a discipline that has traditionally taken a backseat to the high-octane track events.
Among the most memorable moments was at the Paris Games last year when, as the last act of the day, Duplantis broke his own world record in his final attempt, to deafening roars from the 69,000-strong Stade de France crowd.
(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; editing by Clare Fallon)
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