Mondo Duplantis hits new heights with ‘Claw’ after 14th pole vault world record

Swede clears 6.30m to claim worlds gold in Tokyo

Armand Duplantis of Sweden clearing 6.30m during the Men’s Pole Vault Final on day three of the 2025 World Athletics Championships at Japan National Stadium, Tokyo. Picture : Martin Rickett/PA Wire. 

The pole vault competition was two hours and 20 minutes old when Mondo Duplantis finally got serious at these World Athletics Championships. The bar had just been pushed six metres. And so Mondo reached into his kitbag and dug out the shoe he calls “the Claw”.

It is a special shoe, with a spike protruding from the end of it, which he only takes it out when he sniffs a world record lurking in the air.