Armand Duplantis has done it again. The Swedish pole vault sensation broke the men’s world record for an astonishing 13th time on Tuesday night, clearing 6.29m at the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest. The 25-year-old double Olympic and world champion has made a career out of pushing his own limits, and this latest triumph continues a remarkable run of dominance in his event.
The achievement marks the third time in 2025 that Duplantis has rewritten the record books. In June, he set the previous record of 6.28m at the Stockholm Diamond League, once again raising the bar – quite literally – by a single centimetre. His first world record came in February 2020, when he eclipsed Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie’s long-standing 6.16m mark by clearing 6.17m in Poland.
Since then, Duplantis has steadily built a legacy that places him alongside – and perhaps soon above – the great Sergey Bubka. The Ukrainian legend broke the outdoor pole vault record 17 times between 1984 and 1994, along with 18 indoor marks. Duplantis’ 13 outdoor records have come in just five and a half years, and with his youth and form, there is no telling how many more he might add.
In Budapest, the world record attempt came after a tense sequence. Duplantis missed his first attempt at 6.11m, opening the door for Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis, who also failed twice at the same height before retiring from the competition. With victory already secured, Duplantis requested the bar be raised to the new world record height of 6.29m.
On his first try, he rattled the bar slightly but failed to clear. The second attempt was vintage Duplantis – a smooth, controlled run-up, an explosive plant, and a graceful flight over the bar, which wobbled but stayed in place. The stadium erupted as he landed, and Duplantis sprinted to the stands to celebrate with his family and partner, Desire Inglander.
Athletes breaking world records at designated World Athletics meetings can receive bonuses of up to $100,000 (£74,000) in addition to their competition winnings. For Duplantis, though, the joy seemed to come as much from the achievement itself as from any financial reward.
Duplantis says breaking his own record is special
“It’s always special,” Duplantis has often said of breaking his own record. “You never take these moments for granted because you don’t know how many more you’ll get. You just try to enjoy it every time.”
This latest record comes during a year in which Duplantis has shown little sign of slowing down. After successfully defending his Olympic title in Paris last summer – becoming the first man since American Bob Richards in 1952 and 1956 to do so – the Swede has dominated the Diamond League circuit and maintained his position as the undisputed No.1 in the event.
Next up is the Silesia Diamond League in Poland on Saturday, a venue with good memories for Duplantis. It was there last year that he broke the world record yet again, and he will arrive this week with confidence soaring.
Looking further ahead, the world championships in Tokyo next month present another major milestone. Duplantis will attempt to become only the second man, after Bubka, to win three consecutive world outdoor pole vault titles. Given his current form, few would bet against him.
His reign at the top has been characterised not just by athletic brilliance but by an almost artistic approach to pole vaulting. Every record height he has cleared – often by the slimmest of margins – reflects a blend of technical perfection, mental composure, and sheer competitive drive.
With Tokyo on the horizon and his 13th world record fresh in the books, the question now is not whether Duplantis will break the record again, but how soon. For fans of athletics, that wait may be shorter than anyone imagines.
