{"id":2157,"date":"2020-03-04T07:03:40","date_gmt":"2020-03-04T07:03:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diamondleague.com\/london-world-record-breaker-duplantis-announced\/"},"modified":"2020-03-04T07:03:40","modified_gmt":"2020-03-04T07:03:40","slug":"london-world-record-breaker-duplantis-announced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diamondleague.com\/london-world-record-breaker-duplantis-announced\/","title":{"rendered":"London: World record breaker Duplantis announced"},"content":{"rendered":"
Swedish star and world record holder Mondo Duplantis heads to London this summer for the M\u00fcller Anniversary Games<\/div>\n
The reigning European champion and world silver medallist enjoyed an unbeaten indoor season as he heads for his first Olympic Games this summer.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest young stars in world athletics, Duplantis\u2019 rise to prominence has come on the back of a number of major medal wins and record-breaking feats over the course of the last few years.<\/p>\n

Most recently, Duplantis historically revised the pole vault world record twice in the space of one week, first with a clearance at 6.17m in Torun, Poland on February 8 before then going 1cm better at the M\u00fcller Indoor Grand Prix Glasgow with 6.18m on February 15.<\/p>\n

During his breakthrough as a senior athlete, Duplantis backed up becoming the youngest world finalist for some 34 years at London 2017 with European gold in 2018, the winning height a hugely notable one given the mark of 6.05m saw him set a huge personal best as well as revise his own under-20 world record.<\/p>\n

World silver followed last October in Doha following a gripping shoot-out for a first global senior gold. Now with the world record his own, Duplantis is targeting an eye-catching performance in London this July as part of his preparation for a debut Olympic Games come Tokyo 2020.<\/p>\n

The news follows previous announcements confirming the attendance of Britain\u2019s reigning world champions Katarina Johnson-Thompson (coach: Bertrand Valcin; club: Liverpool Harriers) and Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie; Blackheath & Bromley) at this year\u2019s event.<\/p>\n

World record holder and multi-global medallist, Mondo Duplantis spoke of his excitement ahead of returning to London:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hugely excited to be heading back to the UK to compete at the M\u00fcller Anniversary Games this summer. The memories I have of vaulting in the UK \u2013 from competing at my first world championships in front of tens of thousands of people to breaking the world record in Glasgow a few weeks ago \u2013 are unforgettable, so to have another opportunity to return to the UK is huge for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth of my previous performances in London and Glasgow owed so much to the support of the British crowd, and I\u2019ll definitely be looking to feed off that support and produce an amazing performance in London come July.\u201d<\/p>\n

Major Events Director for British Athletics, Cherry Alexander OBE said:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re incredibly excited to have Mondo heading back to the UK. At just 20, his world-record breaking performance in Glasgow has cemented him as one of the most exciting athletes to watch in the world both at current and for years to come, so the British fans are in for a real treat when he heads to London this summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving Mondo confirmed on the bill for the M\u00fcller Anniversary Games alongside two of our homegrown heroines in Kat and Dina is magnificent news for the event, and is ultimately part of our ambition and commitment to building the best fields in the world, for the best fans in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

The M\u00fcller Anniversary Games is the 10th stop on the 2020 Wanda Diamond League calendar, which also features Gateshead\u2019s M\u00fcller Grand Prix on 16 August.<\/p><\/div>\n