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Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, May 1 (Reporter Wu Junkuan, Dong Yixing) In late April, Swedish pole vaulter Duplantis came to China for the first time to compete. In the two Diamond League competitions a week apart, he not only won the championship, but also set a new world record in Xiamen. In an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency during the Yangtze River Delta competition, Duplantis said that he was deeply impressed by his first trip to China. Looking ahead to Paris this summer, he believes that winning a gold medal is more important than breaking a world record.
"It was my first race in China and I broke the world record, so it's all good memories. "I knew I was in good shape and I knew it was possible, but it was a bit difficult for me to come to China for the first time, I had problems with sleep and jet lag." Because China is so far away, I sleep almost all the time. Luckily, the race was played at night, so I could sleep until late and get up and then jump out of the race. ”
In the Diamond League Xiamen on April 20, Duplantis improved his world record by 1cm with a score of 6.24m, and he showed excellent competitive form with a single stroke at every height. At the Yangtze River Delta International Track and Field Diamond Championships in Suzhou on April 27, he easily jumped over the 6-meter crossbar and locked up the championship early. He then challenged for his ninth career world record, but failed to jump 6.25m on three attempts.
Duplantis said that not only did he win the championship and the world record in China, but the interval between the two races gave him the opportunity to visit Xiamen, Shanghai and Suzhou, and the unique culture of China was also an eye-opener for him.
"It's a culture that's new to me, with its architecture and food. I know that I have only a small part of the Chinese culture, and there is still so much to experience and experience, and only one week is not enough. "But obviously this won't be my last time in China." Hopefully I will have the opportunity to participate in the competitions in Suzhou and Xiamen next year. There are also the Nanjing World Indoor Championships next season and the 2027 Beijing World Athletics Championships, so I think I will come to China often to experience Chinese culture as deeply as possible. ”
With less than three months to go before the start of the Paris Olympics, Duplantis, the defending champion, said it would be wonderful to set a new world record in Paris, but the most important thing was to win the competition and take home the gold medal.
"I want to be at my best in Paris, I think I can do it, and then it's up to me how high I can jump," he said. When it comes to athletics, nothing is more important than the Olympics. I have about five races before the Olympics and it's important to keep playing to keep feeling like it, and by honing my technique, finding the rhythm and the feeling of using the pole, I believe everything will fall into place before the Olympics. ”
When he broke the world record for the first time in 2020 with a throw of 6.17m, Duplantis said he had fulfilled a dream he had since he was 3 years old. When asked why he dreamed so big at such a young age, he said, "I've always had dreams like this since I was a kid. I'm a dreamer, a world record, an Olympic champion, I want everything. I think it's very important for children to dream big. I always set high goals for myself, sometimes I succeed and sometimes I don't. But if you don't believe you can do it, you can't do anything. ”
In the space of four years, Duplantis rewrote the world record eight times, winning one Olympic title, two world championships, two indoor world championships and three seasons of the Diamond League Finals. In the men's pole vault, as long as Duplantis can play normally, the championship will most likely not be left behind. At the age of 24, he has also become one of the hottest stars in athletics. In the face of applause and flowers, Duplantis remained calm and focused.
"I don't think too much about what other people think of me. I just want to enjoy the moment and keep trying to jump new heights. I want to bring out all my energy and keep doing well. "I'm confident in myself." When I stepped onto the field, I knew I had the best chance of being the one who stayed until the end and jumped the highest. What people will think of me is up to them, not for me to decide. I can only decide what I do on the pitch and I will make sure that I give everything on the pitch and give it my all every time. No matter what people think, I go with the flow. ”
Participated in the writing: Chen Si, Zhao Yanchao, Wang Hengzhi, Xu Dongyuan
Producer: Yu Xiaozhong, Liu Kang
Producers: Zhou Jie, Wang Shengzhi
Co-ordinator: Wu Junkuan, Liu Zhaoquan
Reporter: Wu Junkuan, Dong Yixing, Chen Si, Zhao Yanchao, Wang Hengzhi, Xu Dongyuan
Video: Chen Si, Zhao Yanchao
Editors: Zhou Xin, Niu Mengtong
Acknowledgement: Suzhou Radio and Television Crab Video
Jointly produced by the Sports Department of Xinhua News Agency and Jiangsu Branch