Duplantis, widely known by his nickname ‘Mondo’, has already won every major gold available to him, and became the first man in 68 years to retain the Olympic pole vault title at Paris 2024.
The US-born Swede, who chose to represent his mother’s homeland, has not lost a major final since the World Athletics Championship in Doha in 2019, where as a teenager he missed out to American Sam Kendricks on countback.
World record talk has largely replaced any discussion of the destination of men’s pole vault gold medals since he took the record off Lavillenie in February 2020.
How has he done it? A potent combination of lightning runway speed, technical precision in the take-off, explosive power and the bravery to embrace it as he travels far beyond the average height of a giraffe (5.5m).
It is his sprinting prowess in particular that his rivals pinpoint as a defining factor, with the higher approach speed generating greater kinetic energy and creating the foundation for greater heights.
That is something he has enhanced through specially-developed sprinting spikes which he wears for his world record attempts, which feature an unusual hooked spike in the forefoot.
His incremental centimetre-by-centimetre approach to improving the world record is by no means revolutionary; since Sergey Bubka became the first person to clear six metres 40 years ago, the record has been nudged no more than two centimetres higher at a time.
It helped that Duplantis grew up with a pole vault pit in the back garden of his childhood home in Louisiana, with his father a former elite competitor in the discipline.
The record-breaking dominance he has gone on to achieve has transcended the sport and established Duplantis – coached by his parents Greg and Helena – as the sport’s biggest star.
Led by another standout performance from Jordan Chiles, the No. 5 UCLA women’s gymnastics team clinched the Big Ten regular-season championship for the second consecutive year Friday night by winning its Big Four meet at Pauley Pavilion.
Chiles, who had the top all-around score of 39.625, helped UCLA defeat No. 18 Iowa, No. 19 Ohio State and No. 25 Maryland with an overall score of 196.950. Her 9.950 on the vault in the final rotation sealed the win.
“The thing I’m taking away from today is that they really are fighters,” UCLA coach Janelle McDonald said. “They really didn’t give up [at] any moment, and they really were just resilient through it all.”
Alipio was impressed by how well Matthews performed on short notice.
“She is one to always kind of just put her head down and work, and I’m really proud of her to see her step up today,” Alipio said.
On the balance beam, Katelyn Rosen started with a 9.750 and Barros posted a 9.850. Flexing UCLA’s depth, Mika Webster-Longin received a 9.825 in her top routine. Chiles had a 9.825. In an almost-perfect routine, Alipio posted a 9.950. The mark helped UCLA extend its lead.
It wasn’t all good news for the Bruins on the first rotation — Rosen sustained a foot injury and was held out for the remainder of the meet.
“I’m hoping it’s not no big deal, but we’ll get her checked out and just want to take the precaution and pull her out of those lineups,” McDonald said.
UCLA’s Jordan Chiles competes on the balance beam Friday during a Big Ten quad meet at Pauley Pavilion.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
Matthews started the floor exercise in Rosen’s place, opening with a 9.675. Alipio followed with a 9.825, and Sumanasekera and Ashlee Sullivan posted scores of 9.875 and 9.900, respectively. Needing a big performance to keep their lead, Chiles did not disappoint, scoring a 9.950.
Matthews demonstrated the level of depth UCLA has leaned on throughout the season.
“I definitely can say that is a huge leadership role as a freshman,” Chiles said. “Being able to step in at a time like that … we trusted the fact that she was gonna go out there and do her job.”
UCLA’s Katelyn Rosen competes on balance beam during the Bruins’ quad meet win at Pauley Pavilion on Friday.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
Going into the last rotation, UCLA led Ohio State by just .150. The Bruins needed a strong performance on vault to claim the conference title.
Sumanasekera set the tone with a 9.850. Madisyn Anyimi followed with a 9.775. After replacing Rosen, Webster-Longin earned a 9.800 in her season debut on vault, and Sullivan posted a 9.850 before Chiles clinched the win.
But the Bruins want more.
“This is a regular season, we still have Big Ten championship, we have regionals and we have NCAA,” Chiles said.
The quad-meet experience was a learning curve, Alipio said. UCLA had to perform at a high level through the final routine to secure victory.
UCLA gymnast Ashlee Sullivan performs her floor routine during the Bruins’ quad meet win Friday at Pauley Pavilion.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
McDonald said adjusting to tough competition levels up UCLA. The Bruins hope the experience will pay dividends for the young team in the postseason.
“We just kept reminding them to just take a breath, stay present and just really trust their training and their preparation that they’ve had leading into today,” McDonald said.
After donning hats and shirts that commemorated their championship, the Bruins celebrated on the floor with cheers and pictures. But come next week, the work begins again.
“We fought, for sure, until the end,” Alipio said. “But we also know we’re going into the gym on Monday, and we’re putting our heads down and working because this wasn’t our best, but we have more to show everybody.”
GARY “MANI” MOUNFIELD’s legacy lives on thanks to a huge vault of unreleased music.
The rocker was laid to rest in December following his sudden death the month before.
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Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield’s legacy lives on thanks to a huge vault of unreleased musicCredit: Shutterstock EditorialRock bassist Mani sadly lost his wife Imelda to cancer in 2023Credit: Shutterstock EditorialThe rocker had been preparing to go out on a solo next summerCredit: Getty – Contributor
I’m told there have been talks with his Stone Roses bandmates about releasing a song dedicated to him.
A source said: “Tracks Mani recorded with the band after their reunion in 2011, along with songs he made with Primal Scream, are all in a vault which could soon be opened.
“Mani was one of the most prolific musicians around and as well as playing with The Roses and Primal Scream, he was involved in numerous side projects.
“There are tracks featuring him by The Stone Roses, Primal Scream, Free Bass and Mantra Of The Cosmos.
“The hope is that these tracks will come out in tribute to him, possibly even as a compilation. It’s all early days but there are ongoing discussions about how best to pay tribute to his music legacy.”
After The Stone Roses reformed for concerts in 2011, they went into the studio to record new material and released two singles, All For One and Beautiful Thing.
But a third album never materialised, despite there being more songs.
Zak Starkey, son of BeatleRingo Starr, revealed Mani agreed to be the bass player for Mantra Of The Cosmos but had to walk away after initial sessions to care for his wife Imelda, who died in 2023.
Drummer Zak said: “Due to his amazing strong woman Imelda being very sick, he couldn’t commit to Mantras.
“There was no substitute for Mani so we never had a bass player, it just wouldn’t have been right.”
Bella in nightclub hold-up
IT’S not often we see celebs falling out of nightclubs these days, given they’re more prone to neck a protein milkshake than a martini.
But Bella Hadid almost took a tumble outside the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los Angeles.
Bella Hadid almost took a tumble outside the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los AngelesCredit: BackGridBella shared snaps from her night out at the trendy hauntCredit: BackGridThe star was pictured grabbing on to a handily parked 4×4 car to keep her uprightCredit: BackGrid
Luckily for Bella, all those years walking in heels on catwalks means she’s a pro at keeping her balance – and she grabbed on to a handily parked 4×4 car to keep her upright.
Bella shared snaps from her night out at the trendy haunt and revealed she was with New York designer Noah Ruttenberg and her stylist Mimi Cuttrell before making this spectacular exit.
He got the part of Nick Tilsley in 1997, and went on to have a No5 song with his debut single I Breathe Again in 1999.
But after album Good Times limped in at No41, he was dropped from his label.
Adam said online about going back into the studio: “We did a version of Breathe Again, which was nice. We’ve got a really good song idea. We’re going to record a new song.”
He told Roxie Nafousi’s Rise With Roxie podcast: “I remember I got an email from J-Lo’s team.
Celeb hairdresser Chris Appleton thought Jennifer Lopez was a scammer when he first got an email from herCredit: Getty
“It was like, ‘Jennifer Lopez is doing her Vegas tour and she would, you know, want to work with you.’ I remember I ignored the first email because I thought, ‘Oh this is probably just spam or something’. And then I got another one and I remember thinking, ‘How does J-Lo know who I am?’.”
Unluckily for Chris, who counts Kim Kardashian among his famous clients, he ended up missing the boat because he failed to respond.
BANDS including A Day to Remember, The Primals and Creeper have joined the list of rock gods playing Download Festival.
The mega event taking place at Donnington Park from June 10 to 14 will also feature acts such as headliners Limp Bizkit, Guns n’ Roses, Linkin Park, plus Cypress Hill, Trivium, Bad Omens and Pendulum.
Tickets for the festival in Leicestershire will go on sale at 10am tomorrow.
JAIL JOB STIRS UP MARCUS
MARCUS MUMFORD says working with jail inmates gave him inspiration for new album Prizefighter.
The Mumford And Sons frontman said: “Alley Cat, I wrote in a prison actually. I go into prison and do poetry workshops and that came out of one of those sessions with the lads.
Marcus Mumford says working with jail inmates gave him inspiration for new album PrizefighterCredit: Getty
“I felt slightly conflicted about it to start with.”
While the track hasn’t yet been picked as a single, the record is going down a storm.
Prizefighter is on course to give Mumford And Sons their fourth UK No1 album on Friday, after topping the chart in the midweek update.
Marcus has been volunteering in prisons since the end of lockdown.
The singer added: “If all of us were defined by the worst thing we ever did, we’d all be f***ed.
“I believe in grace, I believe in mercy, I believe in responsibility, choices, consequences, of course.”
