In a clash as entertaining as it was unexpected, Swedish pole vault sensation Mondo Duplantis sprinted to victory over Norwegian 400m hurdles star Karsten Warholm in a highly anticipated 100m race in Zurich (scroll down to watch it).

With an impressive time of 10.37, Duplantis finished 0.1 seconds ahead of Warholm, and in doing so not only secured bragging rights but also ensured Warholm will don the Swedish football kit during the upcoming Weltklasse Zürich Diamond League meet. 

“I knew it, I believed in it. Don’t play with me,” Duplantis said post-victory. “That’s the only thing that’s really on my mind right now. I believed, I just had to wake everybody else up.”

Warholm, ever the sportsman, graciously acknowledged Duplantis’ prowess: “For myself, it wasn’t a great race. But I gave it all that I had. Mondo was surprisingly good, so I‘ve got to give it to him. He was a real fighter there.” 

Despite falling short, Warholm expressed pride in being part of an event that showcased the athletic spirit.

Who is Mondo Duplantis?

Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis is a Swedish-American pole vaulter celebrated as the greatest in the sport’s history. Duplantis is a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2020, 2024) and has repeatedly shattered world records, with a barely believable PB of 6.26 meters. The Louisiana native represents Sweden and has clinched multiple medals at World and European Championships. He first gained international attention when he won the World Youth Championships at 15. Known for his extraordinary consistency, Duplantis has cleared six meters in competition more times than any other athlete.

Who is Karsten Warholm?

Karsten Warholm is a renowned Norwegian sprinter specialising in the 400 meters and 400-meter hurdles. He claimed Olympic gold in the 400m hurdles at the 2020 Tokyo Games and a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. A world record holder in the event, Warholm is a three-time world champion (2017, 2019, 2023) and a European champion in 2018, 2022, and 2024 – the first to win three World Championship titles in the hurdles. In 2021, he broke a 29-year-old world record and was named World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year.

Photography: PUMA / Joe Hale