The numbers don’t lie.
This year the boys pole vault is having a record-setting year. Lafayette’s (LA) Mondo Duplantis may have the world junior record of 19 feet 5.5 inches, but he’s not the only one having a big year. Four guys have cleared bars of 18-2.5 or better this outdoor season. Not to mention Bloomington High School’s (IL) Zachery Bradford vaulting 18-0.5 this past indoor season.
Last year nobody but Duplantis was vaulting over 18 feet. The year before that — in 2017 — it was Duplantis and Park Hill High School’s (MO) Christopher Nilsen who had marks over 18 feet. Then Devin King was over 18 with a vault of 18-0.5 in 2014.