- Title: Duplantis hopes for 'fun' second Olympics in Paris
- Date: 17th April 2024
- Summary: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (APRIL 15, 2024) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEFENDING OLYMPIC POLE VAULT CHAMPION, MONDO DUPLANTIS, SAYING: “Yeah, I mean, you look at guys like (Sergey) Bubka, you look at guys like Renaud (Lavillenie) that were able to jump for into their mid-thirties, mid even late thirties, so, I mean, I hope that I can jump that long. I hope that I’m, I hope that my body holds up. I hope that I still like it. I hope that I'm jumping high. I mean, I think that's also very important to me. I think that you get a little bit spoiled when you’re jumping at a really high level and you're at the top, you're at the top, you kind of want to stay there. So, I feel like for me, I want to be jumping at a really high level and I want to be, I want to be always in the hunt for gold. I feel like it wouldn't bring the same thing to me if I wasn't able to do that, and it's also a very physical sport, so, you know, you’ve got to be on your game as far as that side of things. So, yeah, I mean, it's so hard to tell what's going to happen, but I mean, I hope to jump as long as I possibly can because I mean, I really love doing it and I love the entire thing about it.”
- Embargoed: 1st May 2024 10:00
- Keywords: Armand Duplantis Mondo Duplantis Olympic Games Olympics Paris 2024 Paris Olympics pole-vault
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: Sweden
- Topics: Europe,Olympics,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA002560216042024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:PART VIDEO QUALITY AS INCOMING
After making his Olympic bow at the Tokyo Olympics during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, pole-vault world record holder Armand Duplantis hopes his second Games in Paris this year will be more "fun" as he looks to clinch his second gold medal.
In 2021, Duplantis took gold at the Tokyo Games, which were staged without fans due to COVID-19. Athletes and other attendees were also required to follow strict rules to prevent any spread of the virus within the 'Olympic bubble'.
"It feels like it's going to be, in a way, my first Olympics. It felt like a little test run, Tokyo, and it was also just a very stressful situation and very stressful time when we had the Olympics," the Swede told Reuters.
"I think that this will be a lot more fun in a way... The situation with COVID just brought a lot of stress, on everybody, and you weren't really able to be as free as you would like to.
"Paris is going to be a completely different experience and it's going to be great. I'm super excited. It's also nice to be able to have family members there that can actually watch you."
Duplantis has won everything there is to win as an athlete and has cemented his status as the world's best pole vaulter with seven world records, but the 24-year-old is not content with his achievements.
"I feel like I have got a lot of fire in me, I'm very hungry," Duplantis said.
"It definitely helps that it's an Olympic year, honestly, because I feel like there's a different level of intensity that comes into the training. Subconsciously, it just happens that way because it's such a big year.
"I feel like there's a lot left for me still to do on the track, a lot of higher heights to go, and I just want to keep pushing myself, keep improving, keep trying to see what I can get out of myself and just jump higher."
Despite his dominance, Duplantis said there was still a ways for him to go before he could be considered among the all-time greats, saying: "I have a lot of confidence in my abilities.
"I like my chances against any pole vaulter now or in the history of the sport. I feel like I'm going to be the best guy on the track always. But other than that, I don't really think about it in that way.
"I'm a little bit too young right now career-wise. I have a little bit more longevity to achieve, to be in the conversation of 'best career'."
The athletics competition at the Olympics takes place at the Stade de France from Aug. 1-11.
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