Mondo Duplantis' fiancée — Swedish model Desiré Inglander — motivated him to learn Swedish

TOKYO (AP) — As every second-language learner knows, Louisiana-born Armand “Mondo” Duplantis needed motivation to learn — in his case — Swedish.

The globe saw his inspiration Monday at Japan's National Stadium when he clambered into the stands after setting a world record in the pole vault, hugged his fiancée — Swedish model Desiré Inglander — and followed up with a made-for-Hollywood kiss and embrace.

It’s notable that what seemed to be Duplantis’ first interview after his record at the world championships was with Swedish television in the stands — a very brief one in between the hugs and kisses with Desiré, family and friends.

He called meeting Desiré in 2020 his "most important” factor in gaining fluency.

“That made it actually decent," he joked.

There were other educational moments, of course. He grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the southern United States with a Swedish mother and an American dad. There were those summers with grandparents in Sweden and, a decision to compete internationally for Sweden with all that entails.

"I’m marrying a Swedish girl — and her family is of course all Swedish,” Duplantis explained. "I've had to make sure that the Swedish was on par — up to game enough — to make sure when we’re having family dinners or whatnot, just hanging out, that I can go with the flow with everything.”

He has only a mild southern accent. But when speaking in Swedish, he described his accent as “very weird" in a country where he said even local accents change markedly depending on the location.

“Obviously my American accent seeps through very, very hard I think."

Duplantis' Swedish is strong enough to do interviews in the language, make television appearances and do promotions. When you ask a few Swedes, they call him “fluent.”

“They're probably being very, very kind,” he replied.

Duplantis was asked if he felt extra pressure from the Swedish public to keep setting records.

The question was prompted by a comment reportedly made by American vaulter Sam Kendricks. Kendricks was the silver medalist behind Duplantis a year ago at the Paris Olympics. He was also the last to win the world title — in Doha in 2019 — before Duplantis took over.

Monday was the 14th time Duplantis has set the world record.

“I think that's probably a lack of understanding of Swedish culture to think that the expectations are super high on me as far as the Swedes are concerned,” Duplantis replied. “I think they're (Swedes) not the most harsh in that kind of way. I have no complaints."

“I think that a lot of people expect world records out of me a lot of the time,” he added. “I think that there's also a pretty fair reason for that too because I've broken the record a lot of times. And I've shown that whenever the conditions are right, I'm really up for it.”

Ditto for Mondo speaking Swedish.

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Sweden's Armand Duplantis celebrates after making a clearance to break the world record after winning gold in the men's pole vault final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Sweden's Armand Duplantis celebrates with United States' Sam Kendricks and Greece's Emmanouil Karalis after making a clearance to break the world record after winning gold in the men's pole vault final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Sweden's Armand Duplantis competes in the men's pole vault final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

A fan holds a sign for Sweden's Armand Duplantis as he prepares to attempt setting a new men's pole vault world record of 6.30 meters, at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Sweden's Armand Duplantis kisses his girlfriend Desire Inglander after setting a new men's pole vault world record of 6.30 meters, at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

BALTIMORE (AP) — Federal prosecutors announced criminal charges Tuesday in the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, accusing the Singapore-based operator of a ship and a key employee of making critical decisions that led to the ship crashing into the span and killing six people.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche called it a “preventable tragedy of enormous consequence.”

The indictment names Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., based in Singapore, and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd., based in Chennai, India. Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, 47, an Indian national who was technical superintendent for the Dali container ship, was also charged.

The Dali lost power twice in a four-minute span as it moved to sea from the Port of Baltimore, causing it to crash into the Key Bridge on March 24, 2024. Investigators say a loose wire in a switchboard likely caused the first power loss.

If the Dali had used the proper fuel supply pumps, according to the indictment, the vessel would have regained power in time to safely get under the bridge. It crashed instead, killing six construction workers who had been filling potholes.

“As alleged, the bridge was struck and collapsed because those who were responsible for the ship’s operation deliberately cut corners at the expense of safety,” said Jimmy Paul, head of the FBI’s Baltimore office.

The companies and Nair are charged with conspiracy, willfully failing to immediately inform the U.S. Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding and false statements. Messages seeking comment were not immediately returned.

The Synergy companies are also charged with misdemeanors for the release of pollutants into the Patapsco River, including shipping containers and their contents.

The FBI investigation into the crash focused on the vessel’s operations and whether the crew knew of critical systems issues before leaving port.

The National Transportation Safety Board found last year that two electrical blackouts — one caused by the loose wire and another by problems with a fuel pump — disabled the controls of the huge cargo ship before it crashed into the bridge.

The Dali was leaving Baltimore bound for Sri Lanka when its steering failed because of the power loss. The ship crashed into a supporting column of the bridge at about 1:30 a.m.

Maryland officials estimate it could cost between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion to replace the bridge, which is expected to be open to traffic in late 2030.

“The altered skyline is a constant reminder of this tragedy,” Paul said.

But the true cost of the collapse was far greater, according to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office. It halted shipping at the Port of Baltimore, disrupted the livelihoods of thousands, rerouted road traffic through communities already bearing disproportionate burdens and triggered economic problems statewide.

The indictment comes on the heels of a settlement in principle between the State of Maryland, Synergy Marine and Grace Ocean Private Limited, the Singapore-based ship owner, Attorney General Anthony Brown announced in April.

That lawsuit alleged the crash was the result of negligence, mismanagement and the reckless operation of a vessel that was not seaworthy and should never have left port. Plaintiffs include the families of the six construction workers who died, owners of cargo that was on the ship and local governments seeking damages for economic losses. The details of the settlement haven’t been disclosed and some portions of the lawsuit remain unresolved.

The state sought damages on behalf of its agencies for the destruction of the bridge, harm to the Patapsco River and surrounding environment, lost revenues and economic losses to Maryland and its residents.

The settlement does not resolve any claims the state has against the shipbuilder, Hyundai, the attorney general’s office said in April.

The bridge, a longstanding Baltimore landmark, was a vital piece of transportation infrastructure that allowed drivers to easily bypass downtown. The original 1.6-mile (2.6-kilometer) steel span took five years to build and opened to traffic in 1977.

White reported from Detroit.

FILE - The cargo ship Dali is stuck under part of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after the ship hit the bridge, March 26, 2024, as seen from Pasadena, Md. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)