by Alfonz Juck
Mondo, Renaud, Sam, the 3 musketeers, photo by Diamond League AG
Mondo Duplantis, Renaud Lavillienie, and Sam Kendricks entertained us with Garden Pole Vault in the spring of 2020. Per World Athletics President Seb Coe, the social media numbers were monstrous.
A few years ago, I wrote a piece about how they had saved the men’s pole vault. They began the story, and the likes of Piotr Lisek and many others caught on. The pole vault became more entertaining, and the social media more personal. Mondo, Renaud, and Sam have strong social numbers, and they entertain, instruct and keep us smiling in uncertain times.
That Oslo scored having all three at the Bislett Games is no mean feat.
Pole vaulters to clash twice in a short time
Mondo Duplantis, in Torun, Feb 2020, roaring with the crowd after his WR! photo by World Athletics
Renaud Lavillenie, showing off his new brand, photo by PUMA AG
Sam Kendrick, 2021 US Olympic Trials, photo by Kevin Morris /Kevmofoto
OSLO (NOR): The best pole vaulters in the world are set to gather in Scandinavia for back-to-back clashes in the Wanda Diamond League next month. World record-holder Mondo Duplantis, world champion Sam Kendricks and seven-time Diamond League champion Renaud Lavillenie will all meet at the Bislett Games in Oslo on 1 July before facing each other again three days later at the Bauhaus-Galan in Stockholm. The trio will take on Norwegian brothers Sondre and Simen Guttormsen in Oslo, while Poland’s world bronze medallist Piotr Lisek will also be on the runway in Stockholm. From World Athletics.
