Mondo Duplantis Named 2023 World Athletics’ Athlete of the Year

By Brandon Sik

MONACO – LSU Track and Field alumni Armand “Mondo” Duplantis was named the World Athletics’ 2023 World Athlete of the Year on Monday. This is the third time Duplantis has earned this honor, also doing so in 2020 and 2022.

Duplantis was named as one of the five finalist athletes, who represent four countries from four area associations, in November. Each athlete covered a range of disciplines in 2023, winning titles and breaking world records at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, one-day meeting circuits, Label Road Races and other events around the world.

A three-way voting process determined the finalists. The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family cast their votes by email, while fans logged their decisions online via the World Athletics social media platforms where a record 2 million votes were registered.

Among the men’s finalists were Neeraj Chopra (IND), Ryan Crouser (USA), Duplantis (SWE), Kelvin Kiptum (KEN), and Noah Lyles (USA).

The Swedish superstar pole vaulter improved on his world record indoors and outdoors, successfully defended his world title, and racked up another 20 clearances at 6.00 meters or higher in 2023.

His year started with a bang as he scaled 6.10 meters (20’ 10.25”) on Swedish soil in Uppsala. After winning in Berlin (6.06 meters/19’ 10.5”) and Lievin (6.01 meters/19’ 8.75”), Duplantis capped his indoor campaign with a world record of 6.22 meters (20’ 5”) in Clermont-Ferrand.

In outdoors, Duplantis suffered a rare defeat in Monaco where he placed fourth heading into the World Championships. At the World Championships, Duplantis cleared a height of 6.10 meters in the final to earn another gold medal.

Then at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Eugene – his final competition of the year, and back on the runway where he had broken the world record in 2022 to win the world title – Duplantis ended his season in the best possible way. With his first attempt after already securing the Diamond League win, he cleared 6.23 meters (20’ 5.25”) to add a centimeter to his own world record.

By the end of a long season, Duplantis had won 16 of his 17 competitions. He cleared six meters in 13 of those competitions, notching up a combined total of 20 six-meter vaults.

He now owns the top-eight vaults in history and a total of 74 six-meter vaults – which translates to 36% of all the six-meter vaults ever achieved in the history of the sport.

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