Known for breaking records and captivating the world with his athletic prowess , Swedish pole-vaulter Armand ‘ Mondo ’ Duplantis now brings his passion for helping others to a cause close to his heart . He has joined the ranks of global ambassadors for the Wings for Life World Run , the largest running event in the world , that aims to support spinal cord research on an international scale . The 12th edition of the event , once again supported by Red Bull , will take place on 4 May 2025 , bringing together hundreds of thousands of participants worldwide to run “ for those who can ’ t .” The Wings for Life World Run is the largest and most inclusive running event in the world , embracing participants of all fitness levels . The unique format of the event sees participants all over the world start running at exactly the same time , and they are ‘ chased ’ by a moving finish line called the Catcher Car – either a real vehicle at the flagship events , or a
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Mondo will swap his pole and spikes for normal running shoes on 4 May |
virtual car on the race app – and the winners are the last athletes to be caught by the Catcher Car . The event is open to everyone – whether running , walking , or rolling in a wheelchair . |
The 2024 event saw more than 265,800 participants from 169 countries take part , with 350 organised events around the world attracting large numbers , and many more participants doing their own runs wherever they live . Collectively , these participants covered an average of 11.5km each and covered a total distance equivalent to nearly 50 times around the globe . |
More importantly , they raised a new single-year record of € 8,104,499 ( R161,525,216 ), with 100 % of the funds raised from entry fees going directly to promising research projects and clinical trials supported by the not-for-profit Wings for Life Foundation in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injury . Remarkably , since the first edition of the Wings For Life Run in
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is also a Wings For Life World Run global ambassador
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2014 , a total of 1,559,534 participants have raised a total of R2,96-billion that have funded a total of 299 research projects and clinical trials , all chosen through an exacting selection procedure . |
Mondo ’ s Motivation
With the announcement , Duplantis becomes part of an inspiring roster of global ambassadors that includes global icons such as Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr ., South African rugby World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi , American alpine skiing Olympic and World Cup Champion Lindsey Vonn , and Norway ’ s Olympic champion and 400-metres hurdles World Recordholder Karsten Warholm . To highlight his dedication to the cause , Duplantis shares his thoughts on what it means to be an ambassador for the Wings for Life World Run , his connection to the mission , and his call for others to get involved in the movement .
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Mondo is already registered on the Wings For Life World Run app |
Images : Philip Platzer / Wings For Life World Run , Adam Klingeteg / Wings For Life World Run , Cristel Saney for World Athletics , Craig Kolesky / Wings For Life World Run , Mpumelelo Macu / Wings For Life World Run |