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.