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Swedish-American pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis recently received the Athlete of the Year award at the Swedish Sports Gala. While acknowledging the honor, the athlete jokingly thanked Swedish speed skater Nils van der Poel for retiring. The 27-year-old, who received the honor in 2023, retired in 2022.
On January 22, Mondo Duplantis was recognized for his spell-binding performances in 2023 at the Swedish event. The athlete won the gold medal in pole vaulting at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. He also bagged gold at the Diamond League Finale for the third consecutive time. In that championship, Duplantis broke his own world record by leaping 6.23m. He had previously recorded 6.22m at the All-Star Perche, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting.
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On receiving the award, the pole vaulter told the audience that he had not prepared any speech and would speak based on his feelings. Duplantis expressed his thankfulness to be titled as the Male Athlete of the Year. He also jokingly thanked speed skater Nils van der Poel for retiring. He said:
“I want to say thank you to Nils van der Poel for ending your career. It was good for us who want to win prizes.”
Nils van der Poel is the current World and Olympic record holder and reigning World and Olympic champion in the 5,000 m event and the 10,000 m event. Previously, he won the gold medal in the Allround event at the World Allround Championships in 2022. In the same year, he bagged gold medals in the 5000m and 10000m at the World Single Distances Championships.
On March 3, 2022, the legendary skater announced his retirement from elite speed skating following the 2021–22 season. He last competed on 12 March 2022 at the Speed Skating World Cup finale, where he won in the 5000-meter event.
Mondo Duplantis on competing at Mondo Classic 2024
The much-awaited Mondo Classic 2024 is scheduled on February 6th, at the IFU Arena in Uppsala, Sweden for the third consecutive time. Named after Olympic gold and pole vaulting world record-holder Mondo Duplantis, the championship has been the silver status on the World Athletics Indoor Tour. It is the highest possible rating for a one-day international event.
Besides Armand Mondo Duplantis, the championship will be promising the participation of 10 other elite pole vaulters, including Olympians and World Championship medalists.
Expressing his excitement of competing on his home ground, Duplantis said, via the competition's official website:
“Competing at my home indoor arena in Uppsala means something extra to me, as I always jump well here. The jumpers who participate in the Mondo Classic 2024 will be my competitors also at the Olympics in Paris later in the season."
