2022 Athlete of the Year!
PUMA Athlete and Pole Vault Star Mondo Duplantis is Athlete of the Year by World Athletics
December 6, 2022PUMA Athlete and Pole Vault Star Mondo Duplantis is Athlete of the Year by World Athletics
December 6, 2022Once again Mondo was in a class of his own this season and dominated the pole vault, true to his motto: Born to fly! 🦅 At the World Championships in Eugene he surpassed his own World Record by clearing the incredible mark of 6.21 meters, he is the current indoor and outdoor World Champion and Diamond League winner. One gets the impression that this World Record will either last for a very long time or can only be topped by him once again. What an exceptional athlete! Now he has rightly been named Male Athlete of the Year 2022 for the second time.
CATch Up had the opportunity to talk to Mondo – what else does he want to achieve, what is he afraid of? Read the interview to find out!
“I’m going to try to keep pushing the limits, pushing the barriers, and see how far I can go. I really believe that I still have more in the tank.”
Congratulations from the whole PUMA family! You are Athlete of the Year! This title is so well deserved. How does that make you feel?
Mondo: That´s pretty amazing! If you look at the other athletes I competed against for the award, it’s even more honorable. 2022 was a really great year for me. I achieved a lot of things that I wanted to achieve, including the World Championship and the World Record. I’m very happy with my performance and I’m trying to keep moving forward.
At the age of 23, you have already achieved almost everything athletically and are the World Record holder. What are your goals for the coming year and in general?
Mondo: I’m very grateful for the position I’m in right now, but I feel that there is still a lot more work ahead of me and that I can reach much higher goals. I’m going to try to keep pushing the limits, pushing the barriers, and see how far I can go. I really believe that I still have more in the tank.
When did you know you had what it takes to break the World Record?
Mondo: I feel like I knew it pretty early on. I’ve been jumping for a very long time. My father built a complete pole vault facility in our backyard. And ever since I was about three or four years old, I had big dreams. I wanted to be the best in the world. I wanted to be an Olympic champion. I wanted to break the world record. I wanted to do everything you have to do to become the best in that discipline. I always had these really big dreams for myself. I think it’s always been that way ever since I can remember.
What fascinates you most about this sport?
Mondo: I think pole vaulting is a very complicated sport. It’s very technical, but at the same time it’s also very physical. That combination makes it really difficult, and not only is it hard to improve, but there are so many different things that go into a good jump. I think that’s what keeps you going, because you’re never going to get the perfect jump. There’s always more to strive for, and there’s always a better feeling you could get. I think that’s what makes it so special.
When you jump over the great heights, you seem fearless. Is there anything you are afraid of?
Mondo: I’m not a crazy, daredevil person. Like you may think. I don’t have an extreme fear of heights, but if I stand on top of a skyscraper and look down, I’ll probably still get a normal amount of butterflies in my stomach.
For example, I don’t want to ride a motorcycle or anything like that because I think it’s too dangerous. Pole vaulting is a normal thing for me to do. It doesn’t feel like something crazy, even though it might look a little crazier from the outside.
What do you like to do to balance pole vaulting and training?
Mondo: I try to live as normal a life as possible outside of training. I try to spend as much time as possible with my girlfriend, with my family and with my friends. I feel like that’s always very therapeutic. I also really enjoy playing golf. It’s a good way to get outside, be active and be with friends.
“Pioneers and people who really pushed the envelope and made people change their perspective on what was really possible, like Sergey Bubka and Renaud Lavillenie, inspired me not to set limits for myself, and certainly not to set them too low.”
Did you learn about Sergey Bubka, who set the World Record before you were born, when you were training as a young kid?
Mondo: When I was a kid, I learned the historical facts of the sport. I loved to deal with those who came before me and those who were the best. I was able to enter the scene and maybe jump a little higher. Pioneers and people who really pushed the envelope and made people change their perspective on what was really possible, like Sergey Bubka and Renaud Lavillenie, inspired me not to set limits for myself, and certainly not to set them too low.
Do you pay attention to certain things in your diet, or do you eat what you like?
Mondo: I used to not pay attention to it at all. I think since I’ve been 20 years old, it’s become a little more important. I can’t eat the way I did when I was a teenager. Now I pay a little more attention to my diet. I’ve learned that it makes a pretty big difference when you’re in a training cycle and you travel a lot. You have to be aware of what you’re feeding your body.
What is your absolute favorite food?
Mondo: I like a good steak and potato dish. I also like French fries.
