Duplanti's new high goal: Apartment in Uppsala

In Tuesday's athletics gala indoors at Arena-Sportpark in Düsseldorf, Germany, the World Cup silver medalist and European champion Armand Duplanti's season debut. The 20-year-old's first race in a year where everything is about the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

- This is my first full season as a professional and an Olympic year. My most important year in his career, he tells TT and continues:

- I'm really loaded and feel ready to take on the season. I've never felt this good, I'm really excited.

Duplantis made a big impact for the wider sports audience when he took the European gold in pole vault in Berlin 2018 as an 18-year-old with a jump over the Swedish record height 6.05. Last year, "Mondo" did not reach the same heights (six meters at its best) and it was World Cup silver in Doha, Qatar, behind Sam Kendricks, USA, at a height of 5.97.

This year, it is most important to be the best in the pole vault final at the Olympics, August 4.

- You never know how many times you get the chance at an Olympics, it only happens every four years. You hope you're healthy and in the right time for that moment, that little micropic moment that you want to take advantage of, says Armand Duplantis.

During the Sports Gala in Stockholm last week, the Swedish-American was for the first time in the Globe. Duplantis, among the nominees for male athletes of the year and the Radio Sport's Jerring Award, on the other hand, was without price. At the same time last year, Duplantis was named Newcomer of the Year after his European Gold, but was then absent due to university studies and contests at Louisiana State University (LSU).

Eight months ago, Duplantis announced that he will be leaving college and investing everything in a professional career as a pole vault.

- It's a big change. But I saw it coming so it was no big surprise. Things were meant to play out as they did, says Armand Duplantis.

He now lives in his parents' home in Baton Rouge, the state capital of Louisiana where LSU University is also located.

TT: Will you ever move to Sweden?

- I think so. I hope to find an apartment in Uppsala soon.

He briefly answers the question of what the ambition is with the competition in Düsseldorf, his first since the World Cup final on October 1 last year. Both world champion Sam Kendrick's and World Cup Piotr Lisek, Poland, are also expected to participate.

- The first race is always difficult, says "Mondo".