World pole vault record holder Duplantis always competes with himself

Sweden's Armand Duplantis, who has repeatedly refreshed the world pole vault record in recent years, shared his attitude toward the sport and the source of his confidence in an exclusive interview with CGTN Sports Scene's Zhu Mandan.

At the age of 24, Duplantis has already dominated the pole vault at various major international competitions including the Summer Olympics, the World Athletics Championships and the World Indoor Championships. Meanwhile, despite all of the titles he has won, he remains passionate about the sport.

"I love doing it. I'm still very passionate about it," Duplantis said in the interview. "I love pushing myself and seeing what I can do. I just still care about it. I don't really know how to explain it. I just get out on the track and I want to be the best version of myself. And I want to do the whole thing."

It's important for top athletes to find motivation to stay sharp and focused, and Duplantis says he keeps his attention on competing against himself. The tactic seems to be paying off, as he continues to break his own world records.

"Pole vaulting is a competition within yourself and against yourself in the first place," Duplantis said. "Whether you're going for a world record or whether you're going for third place or you're just a beginner, it doesn't really matter because you're just competing against the bar, and you're trying to jump as high as you possibly can on that given day. So for me, it's no different whether I feel like I'm competing for the world record or competing for a place, it doesn't really matter."

As the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the men's pole vault, Duplantis is aiming to defend his title at the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and he is very confident that he can do it.

"I don't have any doubts in my mind," he said. "I feel very confident about it. And you know, I try to, I don't really think negative. And I know that whenever I step out on the track, I should be the best, because that's just the kind of the kind of jumper that I am. And that's just kind of the confidence that I have in my, in my jumping ability."