Armand Duplantis chose to opt out of the Olympic Village to stay at a hotel in Paris. Partly to be close to his parents, Helena and Greg, and partly to get peace and quiet before what awaits at Stade de France.
There, the star will defend his gold from Tokyo.
"Full respect"
For Kajsa Bergqvist, the choice of accommodation was no big deal.
As a team captain, you would like to have your biggest star in the village and close to the team, but now he will come and eat and hang out, and that part is fine. He has done this setup before; sometimes he has lived with the team, sometimes not, she says.
He wants to make his preparations that maximize the chance of bringing home the gold. I have full respect for that.
Did you discuss this before the Olympic Games?
Yes, we did, and we have done so before several championships. This is nothing unique.
He is a megastar, not just within athletics. It's important that there is no energy leakage for him, by being in the village with everyone who wants to take selfies and chat... I think it's good that he finds his way.
What can be considered unique, however, is Armand Duplantis' ability to shift focus, says Bergqvist.
She has seen up close how he has performed at the top despite pressured situations and high expectations.
A large part of the success is about the 24-year-old's ability to shift focus.
He has an incredible ability to sit and chat nonsense with a colleague at the pole vault in one second, and then be in the zone the next. To be able to switch on and off, in combination with technique and physical talent, to be a competitor and rise to the occasion – that makes him unique, she says.
Clear gold favorite
Armand Duplantis secured a spot in the final by easily advancing from the qualifying round, and on Monday evening, he will enter Stade de France again to defend his gold from Tokyo 2021.
Then – and as always nowadays – he is, from the outside, the given winner beforehand.
Kajsa Bergqvist is quick to say: "nothing is given".
He needs to have his day and it needs to be right. Then no one else should come and set personal records with a lot and have their lifetime moment.
At the same time, she is clear: Armand Duplantis is a clear gold favorite.
