ATHLETICS – Mondo Duplantis says the key to his pole vault domination in recent years is his speed on the runway and, unlike most of his predecessors in the event, he wears specially-developed sprinting spikes to enhance it.
Duplantis chalked up his 13th world record when he cleared 6.29 metres last month and will be seeking a third successive world title in Tokyo next week.
Speaking at a Puma event in the city yesterday, the Swede said he has long had a close involvement in the evolution of his shoes.
“It’s super-important from the innovation side and I’ve been so thankful to the Puma family for letting me just have a really big voice in what I want and what I need,” he said. “It’s such a different shoe that I compete in now from the first shoe that we had. I really like the development of the nitrofoam, but also just the shape and everything that’s needed for me.”
Analysis from the event has shown that Duplantis approaches the bar way faster than any of his rivals, only two of whom - Emmanouil Karalis and Chris Nilsen - have even cleared six metres this season.
“It’s very obvious that the one who is fastest on the runway and creates the most energy, that’s probably the one who is going to jump the highest,” said Duplantis, who was brought up in the U.S. but represents the country of his mother, a former Swedish international heptathlete.
“Historically the pole vault spike was super-flat and I think people were too hyperfixated maybe on the takeoff point and kind of miscalculated versus the speed.
“I take 20 steps, and that’s only the last step. So really it was just making it almost into a sprint spike with a little bit of a modification for a pole vault sole for that extra support for the takeoff.”
Eagle-eyed fans wondering if Duplantis will go for the world record in Tokyo, as he did at the Paris Olympics last year, should focus on his feet to see if he is sporting the “claw” version of his spikes that come out for special occasions.
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