Armand Duplantis: So close to heaven

Have you ever been to the diving board in the swimming pool? It doesn't have to be the highest platform, i.e. ten meters. One step below, just looking down at the slightly rippling water causes a slight stomach rumble. And now imagine that a person suddenly flies past you at about your chest height. Measured height: 6,23 meters. This is the current, almost unimaginable new world record in the pole vault by Armand Duplantis. The American with Swedish roots reached this height at the track and field finals of the Diamond League (of course the highest category of such events) in Eugene (USA). At the same place where he became world champion a year ago. Of course, he is already an Olympic champion, even though he is only 23 years old. Duplantis touches the clouds. He is an overachiever. Even as a child, he picked up a broomstick and heaved himself over the sofa at home. In the meantime, his sister Johanna, who is three years younger, used it and holds the unofficial age group world records for six-year-olds (1,62m) and seven-year-olds (1.98m). If you want to become a master, you practice early on, and in pole vaulting in particular, this is ultimately perhaps even important for survival, as this really special athletic discipline is considered the most dangerous. You can drop an iron ball on your toes, stumble in the obstacle course or, as was recently experienced at the World Championships in Budapest, crash onto the tough track with the baton in your hand just before the finish. Afterwards you will definitely have painful abrasions and shock. But none of this is life-threatening. Pole vaulting does. Leon Roch died in 2009 after a training accident. The 19-year-old US landed upside down next to the mat during training. The Austrian Kira Grünberg fractured her cervical spine during a training jump in 2015 and has been paralyzed ever since. I choose these two examples deliberately because in Duplantis' jumps everything always looks so lively, loose and light as a feather, as if there was not even a hint of danger at any moment of the complicated movement sequence. The bars are getting better and better These unbelievable top performances are of course made possible by the protagonists' ever-improving athleticism, which is significantly supported by the development of the batons. In ancient times in Crete, normal wooden poles were used to jump over bulls; the Celts already used them to make long jumps before the high jump with a pole was introduced by the German gymnastics association in 1715. Bamboo rods, aluminum rods and steel rods ultimately led to today's modern materials. Now the rods are either made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) or glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP). Of course, due to the desired high deflection that catapults the athlete into the air, they can still break. However, this rarely happens these days. I haven't even experienced that in competitions for a long time. However, a residual risk remains. However, no one jumps like Toby Stevenson once did with a helmet, which of course can't help much in the cervical area in the event of a fall. The highs are probably not over yet. While the development of the women is stagnating (Elena Isinbajeva's first jump over 5,00m was already in 2005 and that is still the sound barrier), the men seem to be able to jump ever closer to the sky. On the other hand, the high jump, which requires no technical aids, is currently manageable. It looks like Javier Sotomayor can still sit back and relax, as the Cuban's world record of 2,45m from 1993 is currently considered untouchable. But who knows: Maybe a special shoe for the little high-flyers will come soon. One that has a slight trampoline effect like the one endurance runners now use. The effects are clear. The marathon times are now steadily moving towards two hours. Eliud Kipchoge has already broken this incredible mark once, albeit under so-called laboratory conditions during a run in Vienna with changing pacemakers and scientifically sophisticated slipstreams. Of course, marathon has now become a mass movement, which is why the development of new shoes that can lead to better performance also has an economic component. 33.000 registrations have already been received for next year's Boston Marathon from so-called qualified runners who have been able to demonstrate certain preliminary achievements. In contrast, high jumpers are a species that is clearly negligible for financial reasons for the large shoe companies. And yes, it's all about money again. Sport is a motor, an exhibition for innovation. Now one could reply that pole vaulting is really not a sport that thousands and thousands practice. That's not ski jumping either. Nevertheless, jumping skis are still produced and poles for “Mondo” Duplantis and his colleagues. It is the circus factor that is also tempting for the advertising industry. People who can seemingly transcend all boundaries in their areas. The new world record of 6,23m will only be a transition. Still, it's almost unbelievable. About the author: Sigi Heinrich The award-winning sports journalist, author and Eurosport commentator since the station was founded in 1989 devotes his column “Sigi's Peaks” to the entire diversity of sport. Sometimes with a smile and a wink, sometimes seriously or deliberately provocative. There should be something for everyone.

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Armand Duplantis: So close to heaven

The pole vaulter Armand Duplantis has improved the world record by one centimeter. On this occasion, our columnist Sigi Heinrich has looked a little into the history of this discipline and, due to the technical possibilities in developing the rods, he sees no end to the record hunt.

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