At a meet named after him, Mondo Duplantis raises his pole vault world record by another centimeter

UPPSALA, Sweden (AP) — Swedish pole vaulter Armand “Mondo” Duplantis broke the world record for the 15th time Thursday, this time clearing 6.31 meters (20 feet, 8 1/4 inches) at an indoor meet where he trains that's named after him.

Duplantis, who broke records at the world championships last year and the Paris Olympics the year before that, has eclipsed his mark by 1 centimeter every time since he first broke it in 2020.

This win at the Mondo Classic was his 38 straight pole-vault victory — a stretch dating to August 2023.

Only Sergey Bubka has broken the record more times. The Ukrainian great broke the outdoor record 17 times and the indoor record 18 times in the 1980s and '90s.

Track and field's governing body changed the rules in 2000 to account for only one record, which can now be broken either indoors or outdoors.

Duplantis has three outdoor titles, along with two Olympic gold medals. He is scheduled to jump next week at world indoors in Poland, where he'll be going for his fourth straight title in that event.

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Sweden's Armand Duplantis reacts after clearing 6.31 meters for a men's indoor pole vault world record at the Mondo Classic pole vault gala, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Uppsala, Sweden. (Fredrik Persson/TT News Agency via AP)

Sweden's Armand Duplantis clears 6.31 meters for a men's indoor pole vault world record at the Mondo Classic pole vault gala, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Uppsala, Sweden. (Fredrik Persson/TT News Agency via AP)

Sweden's Armand Duplantis reacts after clearing 6.31 meters for a men's indoor pole vault world record at the Mondo Classic pole vault gala, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Uppsala, Sweden. (Fredrik Persson/TT News Agency via AP)

SEATTLE (AP) — All Vinnie Pasquantino needed was a few days of rest, a morning walk around Seattle and a warm, sunny day at T-Mobile Park to get back on track for the Kansas City Royals.

Pasquantino had two hits — including a solo homer — two RBIs and two runs in his return to Kansas City’s lineup against the Seattle Mariners after sitting out the previous two games because of lower back tightness. He batted third and played first base in the Royals' 7-6 win.

“I told them yesterday, I want in,” Pasquantino said. “And I’ll let them know if anything changes.”

His single to right field drove in Kansas City’s opening run in the first inning. He then belted his fourth home run of the season in the sixth off Bryan Woo on a 2-0 count, a Statcast-projected 404-foot blast into the second deck in right. It gave the Royals a 5-3 lead before Jac Caglianone followed with a solo home run to right.

Pasquantino said it has been an issue he has dealt with for a while after he was removed in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game. He also appeared in the ninth inning and hit a game-ending flyout in Thursday’s 6-3 loss to the Athletics.

“We hope that he’s not going to have to deal with it the whole season,” manager Matt Quatraro said before Friday’s game. “But he’ll probably feel it for a handful of days before it resolves.”

But it felt good in Friday’s win.

“We’ll see how it feels in about an hour when all the adrenaline comes down,” Pasquantino said.

Pasquantino, 28, is off to a slow start this season for Kansas City, batting .176 with three doubles, 16 RBIs and 25 strikeouts in 30 games.

Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino hits an RBI single to score Maikel Garcia against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)