Some athletes chase greatness. Mondo Duplantis seems to redefine it every time he competes.

On a high-energy Sunday evening in Stockholm, the Swedish pole vault phenom thrilled a home crowd by setting a new world record—his 12th.

A Familiar Sight, But Still Jaw-Dropping

At just 25 years old, Duplantis cleared 6.28 metres at the Diamond League meet in Stockholm.

And though we’ve seen this story before, it never gets old.

With perfect form and barely a flicker of doubt, he soared over the bar on his first attempt, tore off his vest in celebration, and sprinted into the stands to celebrate with his fiancée, Desire Inglander, and his family.

This wasn’t just another jump for the books.

For Duplantis, this one was deeply personal—it was the first time he had ever broken the record in front of his home fans.

One Centimetre at a Time, with a Purpose

While fans are amazed by the frequency of his record-breaking feats, there’s a calculated strategy behind those tiny, one-centimetre increments.

Each new height means a potential $100,000 bonus, depending on the event.

And since that prize can only be awarded once per meet, it’s smarter—and more lucrative—to raise the bar gradually rather than all at once.

So far, those 12 records have earned Duplantis close to £1 million just in bonus money. Not bad for inching skyward.

A Legacy Built Like the Greats

This record-chasing method isn’t unique to Duplantis.

He’s actually following in the footsteps of pole vault legends like Sergey Bubka and Yelena Isinbayeva, who also broke records little by little to maximize rewards.

Bubka upped the men’s record outdoors 17 times during his reign, while Isinbayeva did it a staggering 28 times for the women.

Duplantis, though, seems poised to go even further.

Since first breaking the world record in February 2020 with a 6.17m vault, he’s consistently raised the bar—literally. Here’s his full world record timeline so far:

8 Feb 2020 – 6.17m
15 Feb 2020 – 6.18m
7 Mar 2022 – 6.19m
20 Mar 2022 – 6.20m
24 Jul 2022 – 6.21m
25 Feb 2023 – 6.22m
17 Sep 2023 – 6.23m
20 Apr 2024 – 6.24m
5 Aug 2024 – 6.25m
25 Aug 2024 – 6.26m
28 Feb 2025 – 6.27m
15 Jun 2025 – 6.28m

“It Was One of My Biggest Goals”

Speaking with Olympics.com after the event, Duplantis reflected on what this particular record meant to him.

“I’m just so glad that it could come together and that I was able to do it,” he said.

“It was one of my biggest goals for the year—actually, for the past few years—to break the world record here.

It’s such a special feeling, so I’m trying to enjoy it.”

Despite the thrill, he was quick to look ahead:

“There’s going to be better jumps in the future; I’m not worried about that.

I did the right jump at the right time.”

What’s Next for the Vault King?

Duplantis is showing no signs of slowing down.

Earlier this year, he picked up his third World Indoor title, adding to his growing stack of global accolades.

Now, with this fresh record under his belt, he’s aiming for a third outdoor world championship title later this year.

And if history is anything to go by, don’t be surprised if we’re celebrating 6.29m—and another $100,000 bonus—sooner than later.