Mondo's childhood idol and mentor - Renaud Lavillenie - competes in the Mondo Classic 2025

Renaud Lavillenie, the French pole-vaulting legend, who broke Sergey Bubka’s “impossible”, world record in Donetsk (Ukraine) 2014, with a jump of 6.16m, is one of the participants in Mondo Classic 2025. Renaud’s world record stood for six years until Mondo broke his first world record with 6.17 m in Torun (Poland) on February 8, 2020.

24-12-20

Renaud Lavillenie was supposed to be a participant already at Mondo Classic 2023, but an injury at the time then put an end to his indoor season. Renaud has been a great role model and source of inspiration for Mondo since childhood.  For the young Mondo, the technically perfect Frenchman was proof that you can jump high in pole vaulting without being physically large.

– Renaud was my biggest idol growing up. The fact that he is now coming to my own pole vault gala and competing means a lot to me, says Mondo Duplantis.

– The inspiration for the Mondo Classic comes from Renaud after seeing what he managed to achieve with his All Star Perche pole vaulting gala at home in Clermont-Ferrand, France, continues Mondo.

– We are very happy that Renaud is now fully healthy and back from an injury-riddled 2023, which meant that he did not participate in the Olympics in Paris, and can come to Uppsala and compete for the first time in the Mondo Classic, says Peter Jonsson, project manager for Mondo Classic 2025.

– It has been a while since Renaud jumped over 6 meters, but the fact that he reached a year’s best of 5.72 m this year despite the injury problems shows that he has the capacity to jump high. Furthermore, Mondo is inspired to jump high by Renaud’s mere presence. Last year, Mondo set a world record with 6.22 meters at Renaud’s indoor pole vault gala in Clermont-Ferrand, and during the Olympics in Paris, Renaud sat in the stands with Mondo’s parents and once again saw him break the world record, continues Peter.

– Additional participants in Mondo Classic 2025 are expected to be official shortly. What we can say now is that it will be the best starting field ever, concludes Peter.

For more information, contact:
Peter Jonsson, Projektledare Mondo Classic 2024, Upsala IF Friidrott
Mobil: +46(0)70 986 02 32, e-post: peter.jonsson@mondoclassic.se

Tickets, accreditation, information: www.mondoclassic.se

For the fourth time, the Mondo Classic is now organized at the IFU Arena in Uppsala, Sweden. On March 13, 2025, the top world elite will once again come to Uppsala to challenge Upsala IF Athletics’ Mondo Duplantis at his own home arena. Mondo Classic 2025 takes place just 8 days before the World Indoor Championships in China, ensuring that the jumpers are in the best shape to perform at the peak of their ability.

24-10-29

– I had a fantastic season this year, with the world record in the Olympic final being the most incredible thing I’ve experienced. A childhood dream that came true, says Mondo. I love pole vaulting and constantly want to challenge myself to greater heights. During next year’s indoor season, the Mondo Classic and the World Indoor Championships in China are two absolute highlights where I want to jump high, continues Mondo.
– The IFU arena in Uppsala has proven to be world class in terms of pole vaulting and with the Mondo Classic moved forward a few weeks compared to previous years, Mondo will have some competitions done when he comes and competes on home ground, says Peter Jonsson, project manager for Mondo Classic 2025. We are in time perfect for high jumps, as the European jumpers have completed the European Championships and all world-class jumpers will be in great shape with the World Indoor Championships just a week after Mondo Classic, continues Peter.

This year, Mondo had his best season to date, defending his titles at the World Athletics Championships, the European Athletics Championships and the Paris Olympics, setting world records three times with 6.24m, 6.25m and 6.26m. Another award went to Mondo when last week, for the first time ever, he was named European Male Athlete of the Year by the European Athletics Federation.

The full entry list for Mondo Classic 2025 is expected to be finalized shortly.

For more information, contact:
Peter Jonsson, Projektledare Mondo Classic 2024, Upsala IF Friidrott
Mobil: +46(0)70 986 02 32, e-post: peter.jonsson@mondoclassic.se

Tickets, accreditation, information: www.mondoclassic.se

Among the ten pole vaulters who will come to Uppsala, Sweden, to challenge Mondo at his home arena, IFU Arena on February 6, 2024, there are several Olympic and World Championship medalists. 7 of the participating pole vaulters are ranked among the top 8 in the world, according to World Athletics pole vault world ranking list for 2023

It is yet another Mondo Classic competition with world class pole vaulters coming to Uppsala, Sweden. The medalists from the World Championships in Budapest 2023, Chris Nielsen (U.S) and Kurtis Marshall (AUS) are two highly interesting contenders who have the capacity to jump on heights close to 6 meter. The young Frenchman Thibaut Collet (FRA), who for the last four years has improved his personal best by about 10 cm annually and cleared 5.90 m at the WC in Budapest 2023, is another interesting contender. Two-time World Champion Sam Kendricks (U.S) has come back strong after an injury-riddled 2022, ending this year’s season with a jump of 5.95 m at the Diamond League Weltklasse event in Zurich. Another highly interesting pole vaulter is KC Lightfoot (U.S), who set a new American national record with 6.07 at a competition in Nashville this year. World Championship finalist Ben Broeders (BEL) and Norwegian talent Pål Haugen Lillefosse (NOR), who broke the Norwegian record at Mondo Classic 2022, are also confirmed participants for the competition.

– Competing at my home indoor arena in Uppsala means something extra to me, as I always jump well here. The jumpers who participate in the Mondo Classic 2024 will be my competitors also at the Olympics in Paris later in the season, says Mondo Duplantis.

–  The competition has already from the first year in 2022 been a sports gala where the world´ best pole vaulters participate. They really enjoy jumping in an arena built with a focus on pole vaulting and with a unique atmosphere and proximity to the audience, says Peter Jonsson, project manager for Mondo Classic 2024

Mondo Classic 2024 has been granted competition status as a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver Meeting, which is the highest possible ranking status and quality level that can be awarded to an international one-event indoor athletics competition.

For the Mondo Classic 2024, new exciting moments are also being introduced for the audience on site, such as measuring the actual height of the jumpers above the bar when passing

The full entry list for Mondo Classic 2024 is expected to be finalized shortly.

For more information, contact:
Peter Jonsson, Projektledare Mondo Classic 2024, Upsala IF Friidrott
Mobil: +46(0)70 986 02 32, e-post: presschef@uiffriidrott.se

Henrik Wennberg, Sportchef, Upsala IF Friidrott
Mobil: +46(0)70 643 82 14, e-post: henrik@uiffriidrott.se

Tickets, accreditation, information: www.mondoclassic.se

France’s Thibaut Collet joins the ranks of world-class jumpers already set for the Mondo Classic on February 2nd. In 2022, Thibaut Collet became French indoor and outdoor pole vault champion and also set a personal best of 5.82 meters. One of the audience favorites from Mondo’s pole vaulting gala last February, the Greek Emmanuel Karalis will be the 11th jumper entering the competition.

23-01-05

Renaud Lavillenie was ready to participate in the Mondo Classic 2023, but unfortunately an injury has now put an end to his entire indoor season. A not yet fully healed hamstring injury prevents participation. A piece of news that Renaud also shared via his social media channels tonight. However, he is determined to get back in good shape for the outdoor season with the 2023 WC in Budapest as his main goal.

– It is, of course, sad that Renaud is forced to give up the indoor season and Mondo Classic 2023 due to injury. He has been Mondo’s big idol since childhood and a mentor in recent years. But we wish him the best of luck with the outdoor season and the WC 2023 in Budapest. Of course, the door is open for Renaud to come and challenge Mondo on another occasion, says Peter Jonsson, project manager for Mondo Classic 2023

– At the same time, we are delighted that last year’s French champion, Thibaut Collet, is joining the competition. His performance trend points straight up. Just like in Mondo’s case, with father Greg Duplantis, Thibaut is also trained by a father who belonged to the world elite in pole vaulting (Philippe Collet), says Peter Jonsson.

This means that the full participant list for Mondo Classic 2023 looks like this:

• Armand Duplantis SWE
• Sam Kendricks USA
• KC Lightfoot USA
• Ernest Obiena PHL
• Thiago Braz BRA
• Bo Kanda Lita Baehre GER
• Ben Broeders BEL
• Kurtis Marschall AUS
• Pål Haugen Lillefosse NOR
• Emmanuel Karalis GRC
• Thibaut Collet FRA

För mer information, kontakta:
Peter Jonsson, Project manager Mondo Classic 2023, Upsala IF Friidrott
Mobil: +46(0)70 986 02 32, e-post: presschef@uiffriidrott.se

Henrik Wennberg, Sports manager, Upsala IF Friidrott
Mobil: +46(0)70 643 82 14, e-post: henrik@uiffriidrott.se

Upsala IF Friidrott: www.uiffriidrott.se

Among the ten pole vaulters who will come to the IFU arena to challenge Mondo in his own pole vault gala on home soil – Mondo Classic 2023 – are many Olympic and World Cup medalists. The majority of them participated in the 2022 year’s pole vault gala, but in addition there are a couple of new interesting pole vaulters on the 2023 participant list; Kurtis Marschall (Aus), winner of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and Bo Kanda Lita Baehre (Ger) who finished in the same result as 4th placed Thiago Braz (5.87m) at the WC finals in Oregon last summer.

22-12-19

It is once again an extremely well-merited field of Olympic and WC-medalists who will come to Uppsala on 2 February 2023.

Sam Kendricks (U.S), KC Lightfoot (U.S), Pål Haugen Lillefosse (Nor), Thiago Braz (Bra) and Ernest Obiena (Phi) are some of the world class pole vaulters that will return to the IFU Arena in 2023 to challenge Mondo for the victory. Notably, Ernest Obiena was the only pole vaulter to beat Mondo in the 2022 outdoor season, with a jump of 5.91m in his final attempt at the Diamond Leauge Gala in Brussels. In the WC finals in Oregon, Obiena set a new Asian pole vault record of 5.94 cm and secured the bronze medal.

The full entry list for Mondo Classic 2023 is expected to be finalized in early January.

For more information, contact:
Peter Jonsson, Project manager Mondo Classic, Upsala IF Friidrott
Mobil: +46(0)70 986 02 32, e-post: presschef@uiffriidrott.se

Henrik Wennberg, Sports manager, Upsala IF Friidrott
Mobil: +46(0)70 643 82 14, e-post: henrik@uiffriidrott.se

Upsala IF Friidrott: www.uiffriidrott.se

Webbsite: www.mondoclassic.se

Following an amazing outdoor season, with a World Championship gold and a new world record, Mondo Duplantis returns to the indoor arenas in the beginning of 2023. Ten of the world’s best pole vaulters will come to Uppsala, Sweden, to challenge Mondo in ”Mondo Classic” on his home arena, IFU Arena, in Uppsala on 2 February 2023.

22-11-17

Upsala IF Athletics club will arrange the pole vault competition ”Mondo Classic” in cooperation with the titel sponsor Beijer Byggmaterial AB, Puma, Omega and several other sponsors. ”Mondo Classic” is a part of World Athletics World Indoor Tour program 2023.  The participating pole vaulters are world class, with some new participants in 2023 compared to this year’s competition.

– It will not only be a world class pole vault competition, but a 2.5 hours gala event. The spectators in the arena will experience something magical. There will be a festive atmosphere with spotlights, music , film clips and a specially designed arena. This is something that the pole vaulters say inspires them to jump really high, says the project manager for the ”Mondo Classic”, Peter Jonsson Uppsala IF Athletics club.

IFU arena (www.ifuarena.se ) can host up to 2500 spectators. The pole vault track will be centrally placed in the arena, which will create an augmented feeling of closeness to the track and the competing pole vaulters.

– Once again, it will be a fantastic evening in Uppsala, with the world’s best pole vaulters competing and entertaining. There will be twice as many spectator seats in 2023 compared to this year’s event, which gives more people an opportunity to see world class pole vaulters compete in what we believe will be the best pole vault gala indoors 2023, says Henrik Wennberg, Sports manager Upsala IF Athletics club

IFU arena pole vault track proved to be excellent for high pole vaults. The 2022 competition was the first indoor competition in history in which three men cleared 5.92 m or higher. Mondo won the competition with a new world leading result of 6.04 m and he was close to clear a new world record. In addition, the Norwegian pole vaulter Pål Haugen Lillefosse jumped a new national record with 5.81 m.

For more information, contact:
Peter Jonsson, Project manager Mondo Classic, Upsala IF Friidrott
Mobil: +46(0)70 986 02 32, e-post: presschef@uiffriidrott.se

Henrik Wennberg, Sports manager, Upsala IF Friidrott
Mobil: +46(0)70 643 82 14, e-post: henrik@uiffriidrott.se

Upsala IF Friidrott: www.uiffriidrott.se

Webbsite: www.mondoclassic.se