What Motivates Mondo to Keep Raising the Bar
The pole vault star on competition, creativity and challenging conventions
November 3, 2026
From pole vaulting in his backyard to repeatedly redefining what is possible in his sport, PUMA athlete and 15-time world record holder Armand “Mondo” Duplantis has built a career around raising the bar, quite literally. But his story is not only about records. It is also about questioning conventions, finding his own way and never settling for what already works.
PUMA CEO Arthur Hoeld sat down with Mondo to talk about his competitive mindset, his unconventional approach to pole vaulting, the energy he draws from the crowd and how working with PUMA helps him push performance forward.
When you were a kid pole vaulting in your backyard, did you ever imagine your life would look like this?Yes and no. If I can say it humbly, I always imagined and envisioned that I would be the best in the world, win the Olympics and win all these titles. I always had that kind of confidence and hope.
But I didn’t know where life was going to take me or everything else that would come with it. I started the sport purely out of a very authentic love for it. I wanted to win and I wanted to be the best. Everything else has been a surprise, I guess.
But I didn’t know where life was going to take me or everything else that would come with it. I started the sport purely out of a very authentic love for it. I wanted to win and I wanted to be the best. Everything else has been a surprise, I guess.
Finding his own way
“You have to earn everything every day in sports. That’s the beauty of it.”
You’ve achieved so much already. What still excites you when you arrive at a competition?You have to earn everything every day in sports. That’s the beauty of it.
When I show up to a competition, even if I’m the favorite, I know there’s a big target on my back. I have to compete really hard and really well to win because nobody is just going to give it to you. You have to prove yourself every time you’re on the track.
I’ve set a standard for everybody, but also for myself.
Your technique is quite individual. Was doing things differently something that came naturally to you?There are definitely a few things about the way I jump that are unorthodox. The mechanics of how I plant the pole before take-off, for example, are very different from most other jumpers.
A lot of young pole vaulters are taught to jump according to a certain model. I don’t really jump that way. What my dad, who is also one of my coaches, and I did, was to let creativity take over and allow me to find the technique that worked best for me.
What gives you the bigger kick: breaking a world record or realizing you’ve done something people weren’t sure was possible?Breaking the record itself. In that moment, it feels more like crossing a personal barrier.
Of course, you feed off the energy of the crowd, and their reaction helps you understand the significance of the moment. But ultimately, it’s about overcoming a personal barrier. That’s what makes it so satisfying.
When I show up to a competition, even if I’m the favorite, I know there’s a big target on my back. I have to compete really hard and really well to win because nobody is just going to give it to you. You have to prove yourself every time you’re on the track.
I’ve set a standard for everybody, but also for myself.
Your technique is quite individual. Was doing things differently something that came naturally to you?There are definitely a few things about the way I jump that are unorthodox. The mechanics of how I plant the pole before take-off, for example, are very different from most other jumpers.
A lot of young pole vaulters are taught to jump according to a certain model. I don’t really jump that way. What my dad, who is also one of my coaches, and I did, was to let creativity take over and allow me to find the technique that worked best for me.
What gives you the bigger kick: breaking a world record or realizing you’ve done something people weren’t sure was possible?Breaking the record itself. In that moment, it feels more like crossing a personal barrier.
Of course, you feed off the energy of the crowd, and their reaction helps you understand the significance of the moment. But ultimately, it’s about overcoming a personal barrier. That’s what makes it so satisfying.
“It’s hard to explain. It feels larger than life.”
How important is that energy from the crowd?For me, that’s one of the most important things about sport: that real human connection. Competing live in front of a big crowd is simply better.
When you’re able to do something really special, like a world record, there’s this energy between you and the entire stadium. Everybody becomes interconnected in that moment. It’s hard to explain. It feels larger than life.
When you’re able to do something really special, like a world record, there’s this energy between you and the entire stadium. Everybody becomes interconnected in that moment. It’s hard to explain. It feels larger than life.
Challenging what a pole vault spike can be
When you test a new PUMA spike, what can you feel that data or a lab test can’t tell you?You feel the response, especially when you’re running. There’s been such a huge difference between the spikes I had when I started with PUMA in 2019 and what I’m wearing now.
It’s about the NITRO™ foam technology. But we’ve also worked on the shape and design and made the spike more aggressive, moving it closer to a sprint spike rather than thinking of it purely as a traditional jumping spike.
For pole vaulting, the speed and energy you create on the runway are incredibly important. We’ve focused on creating a really fast shoe, and that has been a huge benefit for me.
Has the PUMA team ever encouraged you to try something you wouldn’t have thought of yourself?For sure. I would never have come up with something like the CLAW myself. That takes an engineering brain and a kind of creativity that I probably don’t have.
At first, I couldn’t completely grasp the concept. But when I tried it and could feel the CLAW catching the track and giving me that extra push, I understood it immediately. It’s a really special piece of innovation.
It’s about the NITRO™ foam technology. But we’ve also worked on the shape and design and made the spike more aggressive, moving it closer to a sprint spike rather than thinking of it purely as a traditional jumping spike.
For pole vaulting, the speed and energy you create on the runway are incredibly important. We’ve focused on creating a really fast shoe, and that has been a huge benefit for me.
Has the PUMA team ever encouraged you to try something you wouldn’t have thought of yourself?For sure. I would never have come up with something like the CLAW myself. That takes an engineering brain and a kind of creativity that I probably don’t have.
At first, I couldn’t completely grasp the concept. But when I tried it and could feel the CLAW catching the track and giving me that extra push, I understood it immediately. It’s a really special piece of innovation.
INFO BOX: THE CLAW
The CLAW is an extension of the carbon plate at the front of the sprint spike, designed to provide athletes with more traction and increase their speed while sprinting.How does the collaboration with the PUMA team work?
“Everyone is focused on innovating and continuously pushing things forward.”
It goes both ways. The team brings me things they want me to try, and I’m always willing to give them a chance. The most important thing is having a really honest dialogue.
Everyone is focused on making changes, innovating and continuously pushing things forward. It takes a lot of time and hard work to create the optimal spike and equipment for us, and we’ve made huge steps over the past few years.
I’m less analytical. I’m more about how something feels out there on the track.
One last question: What will you do next that nobody expects?That’s difficult because people mostly expect the things I do now. If I said another world record, that would probably be the most expected answer possible.
So, I guess you’ll just have to wait and see. That’s the only way it can actually be unexpected.
Everyone is focused on making changes, innovating and continuously pushing things forward. It takes a lot of time and hard work to create the optimal spike and equipment for us, and we’ve made huge steps over the past few years.
I’m less analytical. I’m more about how something feels out there on the track.
One last question: What will you do next that nobody expects?That’s difficult because people mostly expect the things I do now. If I said another world record, that would probably be the most expected answer possible.
So, I guess you’ll just have to wait and see. That’s the only way it can actually be unexpected.
(L.-R.) PUMA CEO Arthur Hoeld, Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, CBO Maria Valdes and COO Andreas Hubert
