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Armand Duplantis Soars to World U20 Indoor Record, Sandi Morris Secures Three-Peat at UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit

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DyeStat.com   Jan 13th 2018, 9:37am
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Morris is first female to clear 16 feet in meet history, Duplantis elevates mark to 19-1.50 as both stars produce world-leading efforts

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

RENO, Nev. -- Sandi Morris opened the night with an inspiring version of the United States national anthem and Lafayette LA senior Armand “Mondo” Duplantis brought the house down with a World U20 all-time indoor best Friday at the UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit.

After Morris not only secured a third consecutive victory in the women’s global elite event, but became the first female athlete in meet history to clear 16 feet, Duplantis surpassed his own mark from last year’s New Balance Nationals Indoor to clear a world-leading 19-1.50 (5.83m) and prevail in the men’s elite competition at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center.

“I surprised myself so much last year that I never know with myself, I guess. I wanted to jump 19 feet today and I jumped a little over 19 feet, so I can’t complain about the competition,” said Duplantis, who was making his 11th appearance at the Pole Vault Summit in 12 years, a stretch interrupted only last season by attending his brother Andreas’ wedding.

“It’s the first meet of the year, but you never really know. I’m fast, I’m strong, but I don’t know if I can jump good and if I can jump from a full run. It was very good for the first meet, for sure, and hopefully good things to come.”

Greg Duplantis, Mondo’s father, contacted USADA officials late Friday to coordinate a drug test in an effort for IAAF officials to ratify the record vault, which Mondo submitted to Saturday morning.

Although Mondo cleared 19-1 (5.82m) in March at The Armory, the performance wasn’t ratified because a test didn't occur in New York, leaving the official World U20 indoor record entering Friday at 18-10.25 (5.75m).

“This is incredible. I think he’s dreamed of this his whole life is to win the big section of the Summit,” Greg said. “To win it on a big stage with Renaud (Lavillenie) and Sam Kendricks, that’s what he really wants, but these guys jumped great tonight. Devin King was fantastic. This was a really big deal for him. It’s a big barrier for him.”

Mondo won the high school competition in 2016 with a 17-6 (5.33m) effort. The winning vault Friday marked the third 19-foot clearance in the past 10 months, indoors or outdoors. He also took three attempts at 19-5 (5.92m), which would have been the best overall clearance of his career.

“I’ve never been to a meet more times than this meet, so this is my meet, this is my place. I feel almost at home every time I’m jumping here,” Mondo said. “If you consider this a PB, since it’s an indoor PB, I’m 11 for 11 now. I’ve PR’d every time I’ve been here. I love being here. It’s the best way to start the season. You can’t get a better meet. It’s so great to have right at the beginning. I’ve been coming here for so long, I don’t even know what to say.”

After Southeastern Louisiana senior Devin King vaulted 18-11.75 (5.78m), not only did Mondo need to clear 19-1.50 to win, but he needed to do so borrowing a pole from former Oregon standout Cole Walsh. Mondo, who weighs 155 pounds, used a 16-8 (5.10m), 200-pound pole with a 14.6 flex to successfully make the record bar.

“The pole I had was too small, so I was going around asking for poles, ‘Can somebody lend me a pole?’ I had never touched it in my life, I just trusted that it would work or at least I hoped it would work. It ended up being a good jump and I made it. Thank (Cole) for sure,” Mondo said. “I was really kind of put on the ropes and it came down to my last attempt at 5.83m. It was nerve-racking, but it was a great way to come back into the season, for sure. I couldn’t have pictured it going better than this. It was a great competition and a great height (to clear).”

Since unseasonably cold weather and a lack of indoor facilities in Lafayette hadn’t allowed Mondo to get in many practice jumps before traveling to Reno, Greg said Friday’s result was a pleasant surprise.

“He’s mostly been doing physical training this year and he’s gotten a lot stronger and faster, but you never know what that’s going to do, what poles that’s going to translate to,” Greg said. “I knew pretty quickly he was going have a good night and I could see he was going to jump well. We kind of got lucky with the pole a little bit. Sometimes that works and sometimes that doesn’t. If we wouldn’t have found another pole, we wouldn’t have been so fortunate.”

Morris was fortunate to produce a pair of third-bar clearances, first at 15-9 (4.80m) and then at 16-0.75 (4.90m) to set the women’s record. She won with 15-5.50 (4.71m) in 2016 and needed only 15-3 (4.65m) last year.

“That was the best way to start my season, ever,” Morris said. “I wore these socks the first time I jumped 16 feet and I hadn’t worn them since until (Friday).”

Morris sang the national anthem at the Summit for the first time, then quickly found a rhythm on the runway to distance herself from runner-up Katie Nageotte, who cleared 15-1.50 (4.61m) after winning the Akron Pole Vault Convention on Jan. 6 with a 14-11.50 (4.56) effort.

“I was more nervous about singing the national anthem than I was about the competition,” Morris said. “I really wanted to do a good job and make it memorable. It was really special.”

 



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