Sawt Falasteen - Duplantis says vaulting 6.40m is within the 'realm of possibility'

The 25-year-old US-born double Olympic champion set his 12th world record at the Stockholm Diamond League meet on June 15.

"I've always believed that I'm able to keep pushing higher and of course I've shown now that I'm very, very close to 6.30 metres," Duplantis told reporters ahead of Tuesday's Golden Spike meet in the Czech city of Ostrava.

"I want to keep pushing and I want to get to 6.30m as soon as possible.

"I'd like to get to 6.40m, that would be another crazy barrier of course and that also feels like in the realm of possibility for me."

Duplantis said he had been surprised that his latest world record had come in Stockholm because the set-up had not been ideal.

"I didn't feel like my best, it was probably the worst that I felt for a world record jump, honestly, before," said Duplantis.

"I felt like I was a little bit all over the place on the day and a little bit inconsistent. But then I hit the right jump at the right time, which I guess is the most important in pole vaulting."

Setting a world record in Sweden presented Duplantis with a welcome occasion to celebrate with friends and family.

"I did celebrate it pretty hard, but I feel like I'm fully recovered now and ready to start jumping again," he said.

Duplantis also announced he is planning to release his second song this week, following on from his debut single "Bop" in February.

"I'm going to drop a song Friday, midnight actually, so that's pretty cool," he said.

The new song is called 4L, meaning "For Life".

"I dropped one song only this far but I've done tons of music the past couple of years really so that'll be fun.

"I feel like I'd like to have another hobby, I guess, maybe not distract me but just give me something else mentally."

Duplantis said he enjoyed golf but was discouraged because "in Sweden, it's super cold".

K.AbuTaha--SF-PST