Mondo is a bigger superstar than Jakob despite Jakob holding the WR in multiple events in a more popular sport (running). Yet all my friends and family know who Mondo is, but no one knows who Jakob is.
Pole vaulting is a niche sport. Yet Mondo has 2x as many instagram followers as Jakob.
So, why the F*CK is Mondo a bigger superstar than Jakob?
Like Jakob cares. He has a hot wife and a kid (and more on the way). That's worth more than "instagram followers"
His wife is stupid and posts videos of herself crying online, Mondo's girlfriend is much better looking.
And to answer the OP's question, Jakob is the Norwegian equivalent of a redneck, that's why he's not likeable.
Mondo is a class act that doesn't talk s**t about his competitors. I suspect that if Mindo ever lost a competition, then he would sincerely congratulate the winning vaulter instead of sulking off to a presser and calling Sam Kendricks "the next guy". Watching vault, you can see that the athletes in the field genuinely like and respect one another.
Mondo does NOT win all his competitions. Only 95% or so. But yes, he does indeed congratulate his opponents just as his opponents stay around and watch his world record attempts and celebrate for him. He is a very nice guy but also the elite pole vaulters are something of a family like the decathletes.
As an American citizen he has to have an American passport to enter the US but he is also swedish and like most dual citizens I bet he uses his swedish passport most of the time.
Oh. I keep seeing that he was raised in the US. Partially true. He spent most summers in Sweden, learned swedish (poorly at first) at a young age and lived in Sweden much more later. So a true dual citizenship individual.
As an American citizen he has to have an American passport to enter the US but he is also swedish and like most dual citizens I bet he uses his swedish passport most of the time.
Oh. I keep seeing that he was raised in the US. Partially true. He spent most summers in Sweden, learned swedish (poorly at first) at a young age and lived in Sweden much more later. So a true dual citizenship individual.
"Partially true". I would call that "mostly true". If the majority of your life leading up to adulthood and where most of socialization occurs is spent in the US, then it's safe to say you were raised in the US.
If he didn't represent Sweden in pole vaulting, no Swede would recognize him as Swedish and every American would consider him American.
Mondo is a bigger superstar than Jakob despite Jakob holding the WR in multiple events in a more popular sport (running). Yet all my friends and family know who Mondo is, but no one knows who Jakob is.
Pole vaulting is a niche sport. Yet Mondo has 2x as many instagram followers as Jakob.
So, why the F*CK is Mondo a bigger superstar than Jakob?
I saw Mondo break the world record in Paris then the next night saw JI lose to Hocker. Both were absolutely amazing and things I will remember for ever.
I want to point out a few aspects of the pole vault you get live that you don't realize on TV.
-It is a great spectator sport because it is one at a time, woth the drama of each attempt building up
-You get to know the athletes over a full 3+ hours and get invested in them
-When there is a big jump the entire stadium is focused on just one man
-There is a great anticipation and a climax from the buildup to a jump to the moment someone clears it
PV on TV is alright. PV live is one of the highlights of an athletics meet
That was such a difference when Kipyegon broke the 1500 record. All the competitor back than hugged the Kenyan and celebrated the time. I expected more joy amongst the field when Ingebritsen broke a legendary WR.
That was such a difference when Kipyegon broke the 1500 record. All the competitor back than hugged the Kenyan and celebrated the time. I expected more joy amongst the field when Ingebritsen broke a legendary WR.
Why would you expect that? Jakob is arrogant and displays little respect or affection to his competitors, while Faith Kipyegon is ever-humble, ever-gracious. Jakob is a GREAT runner, but, on balance, doesn’t seem to be a good guy. I think a few more crushing losses would be good for his character.
(woman here) Both are goodlooking guys, but Mondo has more of that movie star quality and a lot of girls/women have a crush on him. His expressions, his physique, the way he grabs his girlfriend and passionately kisses her on live tv. He is sexy and yet approachable at the same time. He is an ideal 'imaginary boyfriend', fitting the 'cute jock who wears his heart on his sleeve and loooves his girlfriend' trope a la High School Musical.
There's a reason that the young girl at the Silesia press conference wanted Mondo's bib and gave him a drawing she made of him lol. Jakob was sitting next to him at the time and thought it was funny btw, haha.
both wear leotards when competing
only one of them looks f**kable while wearing said leotard
jakob literally looks like he could be transitioning with those hips he has and he looks lighter than all but the bird-women of the world, though he's a good looking dude and financially/socially attractive as well, but not as eye-catching as he'd be if he focused on running the 400 and put on about 15 pounds in the process
mondo looks like an underwear model, maybe he already is i don't know
on top of mond having more raw sexual appeal, he has always delivered as far as i know. mr. dependable, will never let you down. mondo winning his event make it feel like everything is right in the world, sort of like when Bolt would win. jakob can lose and the world still seems right to me.
I saw Mondo break the world record in Paris then the next night saw JI lose to Hocker. Both were absolutely amazing and things I will remember for ever.
I want to point out a few aspects of the pole vault you get live that you don't realize on TV.
-It is a great spectator sport because it is one at a time, woth the drama of each attempt building up
-You get to know the athletes over a full 3+ hours and get invested in them
-When there is a big jump the entire stadium is focused on just one man
-There is a great anticipation and a climax from the buildup to a jump to the moment someone clears it
PV on TV is alright. PV live is one of the highlights of an athletics meet
thanks for posting. awesome to hear you got to see it live in Paris, congrats. i'll be 49 when i see my first Olympics live in '28, hopefully anyone who has seen at least one event live can appreciate their good fortune.
anyway, just wanted to say that i've had the same experience with PV at meets v. on tv or youtube. there is definitely more emotional attachment at meets to the field competitors because you see them in between rounds and they do all the stuff any normal person generally would, which makes it easy to cheer for them
Mondo is a bigger superstar than Jakob despite Jakob holding the WR in multiple events in a more popular sport (running). Yet all my friends and family know who Mondo is, but no one knows who Jakob is.
Pole vaulting is a niche sport. Yet Mondo has 2x as many instagram followers as Jakob.
So, why the F*CK is Mondo a bigger superstar than Jakob?
Charisma and lots of it. Mondo put pole vaulting on the map and is a likable character. Jakob is essentially a douche bag.
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