Why This Pole Vaulter Is Even Bigger Than the One With the Bulge
If you watched one pole vaulter this week, it was probably French Olympian Anthony Ammirati, who became a viral sensation when his manhood tipped the crossbar and saw him prematurely ejected from the Games.
But this is a story about another pole vaulter whose package went unnoticed as he soared 20 feet, six inches into the air, landing the Olympic gold medal, breaking his 9th world record, and establishing himself as the most dominant athlete in his field—if not track and field more broadly.
Armande “Mondo” Duplantis is the GOAT in an obscure activity that dates back to ancient Greece, when soldiers used poles to overleap obstacles like fortifications. At age 24, he is poised to become one of the most famous Swedish brands since Volvo or ABBA.