Mondo Duplantis is excited to defend his pole vault title at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, where he set his second world record in 2020.
He felt pressure to prove the first record wasn't a fluke and wanted to show "this is what I am."
His arm-folding celebration reflected a confident, "this is what's to come" mentality.
Since Glasgow, he's set 5 more records, most recently 6.23m outdoors.
Indoor vaulting is easier due to lack of wind, allowing higher jumps and more consistency.
He admits outdoor conditions often prevent him from breaking records due to wind, requiring him to adjust his grip and posture. This makes him more consistent.
He compares his second record to a "second album syndrome," needing to follow a major success with something even better.
He describes his initial record feeling as disbelief and dreamlike, while the second was more confident and assertive.
He's looking forward to the upcoming championship and the potential to break another record in Glasgow.