Meet Mondo Duplantis. Part-time World record-breaker and full-time musician

Mondo Duplantis has released Gold as the official anthem for World Athletics' new Ultimate Championship. The move turns the pole vault star's off-track ambition into part of the sport's latest commercial showpiece.Duplantis will perform the song at the Ultimate Championships' closing ceremony (Courtesy: Reuters)Armand "Mondo" Duplantis is adding another dimension to his sporting stardom. The Swedish pole vault sensation has unveiled a new song titled Gold, which will serve as the official anthem for World Athletics' inaugural Ultimate Championship.The track was released on Friday ahead of the high-profile event in Budapest, scheduled from September 11 to 13. The competition will bring together Olympic champions, world champions and Diamond League winners, with athletes competing across three evening sessions. A total prize pool of $10 million is on offer, while individual gold medal winners will pocket $150,000.Music is not entirely new territory for the two-time Olympic champion. The 26-year-old has explored the creative side for several years and made his musical debut in 2025 with the single Bop.Despite holding multiple world records in pole vault, Duplantis has previously spoken about harbouring ambitions beyond athletics, revealing that winning a Grammy remains one of his dreams. According to World Athletics, Gold was co-written by Duplantis alongside Carl Silvergran and Oscar Chase, with Chase also taking charge of production duties."I wrote the song around representing something that's a lot bigger than yourself," Duplantis said in the announcement, as quoted by AP. "I think that's what we all do when we're on the track. We represent our family, our team, our coaches, and I love that concept. Music and sports are the two things that bring people together in the best way, and Gold' is an expression of that."The song's music video was shot in Budapest and blends present-day footage with clips from Duplantis' early years in the sport, offering a glimpse into his journey from promising youngster to global superstar.Speaking previously to the Olympics channel, Duplantis explained that making music provides a valuable escape from the pressures of competition and serves as a creative outlet away from athletics.World Athletics said the anthem will feature prominently throughout the Ultimate Championship, becoming part of both the television broadcast and the in-stadium entertainment experience. Duplantis is also set to perform the song live during the event's closing ceremony."The Ultimate is purposefully designed to showcase the talents and passions of our sport's biggest stars, on and off the track," World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said. "Mondo is one of our most recognizable and accomplished athletes, and we could not be more excited that he is the one who created the Ultimate Anthem."The Ultimate Championship is expected to be held once every two years as part of World Athletics' long-term plans for the competition.- EndsPublished On: Aug 21, 2026 20:35 IST