Duplantis raises the roof yet again; dad's record is next

By Mary Albl for DyeStat

NEW YORK -- Armand Duplantis has broken the national high school record in the pole vault three times in the span of eight days but the record that is coming into focus is the family record.

The 17-year-old junior from Lafayette, La.. cleared 18 feet, 10.25 inches (5.75m) in the junior boys pole vault Saturday at the 110th NYRR Millrose Games at The Armory. 

His father and coach, Greg, once vaulted 19-0.25 (5.80m) in 1993 at the height of his pro career.

"I don't know if he thought it would come my junior year, but I think hopefully it should come pretty soon," Armand Duplantis said. 

Whether dad is ready or not, Armand is on the brink of flying right past it. 

"I think he wants me to break it. I hope so," Duplantis said.

Greg taught all three of his sons to pole vault, and quite well, but Armand latched on from an early age and has become a master. A shared passion for the sport has created a special bond between father and son.  

"It's great to have him here when I PR like this," Duplantis said. "We both feel the same sadness when I jump bad. When I jump good, he feels just as happy."

Duplantis' clearances at 18-8.50 and 18-10.25 -- on first tries -- managed to slightly upstage the Olympic Games rematch between gold medalist Katerina Stefanidi and silver medalist Sandi Morris. Together, the two pole vaulting competitions kept fans along the south side of The Armory buzzing.

For Duplantis, it's already been an historic season. He has lifted the high school record indoors by 10 inches and qualified to represent Sweden, his mom's home country, at the IAAF World Championships in London in August. 

"Everyday I wake up a little faster, a little stronger than the day before," he said. "I think that my technique is improving."

After clearing 17-1.50 to officially win the event Saturday, Duplantis missed his next two attempts at the height of 17-8.50. His third try was clear sailing. 

"Well, this is my fourth meet this indoor season and the first three were all at LSU," Duplantis said. "So I just (was) kind of got very used to that runway. Coming here was a little different." 

Duplantis will next compete at the Louisiana State Indoor Meet and has plans to come back to New York for New Balance National Indoor in March. 

But by then, that looming 19-foot mark could be long gone. The Armory record, in 2015 by world champion Shawn Barber, is 19-0.50.

"I think I could be able to PR every meet," Duplantis said. "I know that's not how it (usually) works."

Rematch for Olympic gold, silver medalists

Stefanidi and Morris have become quite familiar with one another. The two pole vaulters put on an epic battle in Rio during the Olympics, with Stefanidi barely edging out Morris for gold. 

In a field of five Saturday at The Armory, the two once again finished as the final two. Stefanidi, from Greece, outlasted Morris for the title, vaulting 15-9.75 to win. Morris was runner-up, clearing 15-5.75. 

“It was great,” Stefanidi said of facing Morris again. “We get along great. I loved being here. I loved the atmosphere.”

For the American, Morris, she said she felt a “little bit off” but enjoyed what the meet provided. 

“It was a great atmosphere and I think Millrose Games did a great job bringing attention to the pole vault in general,” Morris said. “It's really cool to be in an atmosphere that is aware of what is going on in the vault.”

Both athletes attempted at 16-1.75, which would have been an Armory record, but neither cleared it.

“I wasn't quite getting in a rhythm," Morris said. "I was just using it as a steppingstone, a building block. It was amazing atmosphere, a really fun place to come jump and I think it's a really good way to set myself up for USA Indoor Championships.”