How one Swedish man stole the American born, raised, and trained Mondo Duplantis from us

marwar wrote:

I would say he is one om the most known and admired Swedes at the moment, any category. He has absolutely no downside about his persona like Zlatan.

His domestic market value is also huge as a consequence.

First, I would say he is a Swede on paper and that's about it. But, thats fine, I don't blame him for avoiding the competition (present and future) for essentially guaranteed WC/Oly spots forever, and perhaps getting a lot more notoriety. I mean, no doubt, the overwhelming majority of Americans could not name a single pole vaulter.

My question is did he renounce his US citizenship? If no, he must be paying extraordinary amounts of income tax. US dual citizens have to pay US income taxes as far as I know and I hear Sweden is a pretty high tax place, right?

Dwightarm wrote:

R u joking with this? It’s not that serious.

America is a landmass in this hemisphere. Americas is the two continents that compose it.

Our country already has a name. Calling us ‘America’ is like calling South Africa just ‘Africa’; you see how dumb that sounds?

It sounds dumb because nobody calls South Africa "Africa" or people from South Africa "Africans." But people around the world have called the United States "America" and the people who live here "Americans" for over 200 years. It's unquestionably correct and commonly understood. It's in every dictionary. Correcting people for using either term is simply ignorant.

Now, if you want to argue that the terms America and American SHOULDN'T be used the way that they are, that's different. I happen to think it's silly and even a bit offensive because there's no possibility of confusion, because there's long history on the side of these terms, and because people should be able to decide what their own country is called. But if you disagree, I guess that's a matter of opinion.

that brings up another question, when black americans travel to europe do they refer to themselves as 'african americans'? Is that confusing? Are they saying they are african or american? Does that mean from the usa or from s.america, or the americas?

Do black people from england refer to themselves as african English when they travel?

Seriously

What I heard was that he didn't want to chance having an off day/injury the day of the trials final.

I love our system but really- someone like him is off on one day and he's out. In Sweden they just tell him he's on the team.

holterskolter2 wrote:

I dont think that's how it went down. I suspect he was jumping really well, but looking at the depth in America, wondering if it would be tough to make a team. . . . Making teams would be much easier. . . . Keep in mind that he made this decision when he was ranked maybe 300th in the world.

Charles Hicks of Stanford probably went through a similar decision making process. When he decided to try to make the GB Team for the U-20 Euro Cross Country he was redshirting at Stanford after having finished 14th at NXN his senior year in high school. Now he is a guy that ran 27:47 for 10,000 before his 20th birthday.

Just the girlfriend he got out of the move by itself is good justification.

Avoided 115F U.S. Olympic Trial wrote:

A. Duplantis avoided U.S. Olympic Trial in 115F heat with humidity.

It was hardly humid.

Mondo and his family took the best deal on the table. This happens in business every day and we don't start threads griping about John Jones, born and raised in Seattle, had an offer from Microsoft but he decided to work at Apple in California. Traitor to the Pacific Northwest!!!

Let's be blunt: Sweden takes better care of athletes. They offer development funding in addition to whatever you can gain in sponsorships and the possibility if local tie-ins/sponsors is greater for track athletes. Why? Because Swedes follow the sport, not just every four years like 'Muricans. Why take a Nike deal with reduction clauses and the knowledge that they will jettison you once you turn 28 or right after your second Olympics? The kid and his family got paid, enjoy celebrity status in Europe, and are very successful.

National borders are artificial constructs. Historically, nationalism creates more harm than good. Most fervent nationalists in our country have no clue what that means or what the nation stands for. They wear it like a football fan wears their team jersey to a game - blind allegiance and group belonging.

individual sport wrote:

Track is an individual sport. I don't know why people here care so much about what country an athlete represents.

America has to win or else. Even if it means dubiously giving free citizenship to athletes to make them 'American'.

Go Murica!

Having elite Kenyan/African talent who grew up, trained in Kenya spells American success. Then they can be given a tiny appt in Harlem with 6 jobs for min wage (altogether). Or large sponsorship deals. No in between.

OozmaKappa wrote:

Who said I was complaining? Tf 🤣

Another guy said it's probably for economic reasons and that's fine. I'm just saying he's an American and his records are American and his medals are American because he was born raised and trained in America.

Fair point about the training.

But since half of his training team is his mother maybe you could give some credit to Sweden?

It is probably a lot more about practical than economical reasons. His father also learned that the american trails can bli quite tough. And with an event like pole vault where things can go wrong even for the best from time to time you can be the world number one but still fail to make the team.

Geographically confused wrote:

Dwightarm wrote:

Just a nitpick on your description: America is not a country; it is a landmass.

Otherwise, I don’t mind Mondo competing for Sweden. Lots of athletes do it. He’s wildly successful over there.

Yes! Thank you!

Are you against all colloquial country names, or just "America"?

There is no country that is actually named "China." This is a colloquialism for People's Republic of China. People shorten this name to just "China" the same way that people shorten "United States of America" to just "America." Do you go around correcting people who just call it China? Or do you just figure that China is a standard enough nickname that everyone knows what country the person is referring to and there is no need to out yourself a a douche-nozzle over the issue?

Yesterday some jackass derailed the thread by talking about immigration, I did not foresee the thread would take another unexpected turn where people would start talking about geography.

We're gonna keep calling our country America so deal with it 🤣

best decision.

American track and field disappears between Olympics.

Sweden will always worship him.

Very few overnights between competitions. :-)

He basically lives on the circuit

Well ofcourse does he want to compete for Sweden where he dont have to peak for the olympic trials, not the olympics themselves.

okaywantkababi wrote:

best decision.

American track and field disappears between Olympics.

Sweden will always worship him.

Very few overnights between competitions. :-)

He basically lives on the circuit

Yep. He could hang out in a Baton Rouge bar with the gold medal around his neck and people would ignore him to gush over some third string defensive lineman from the LSU football team drinking in the same establishment. Geaux Sweden!

Higher humidity than 115F in east California, Nevada or New Mexico.

Avoided 115F U.S. Olympic Trial wrote:

Higher humidity than 115F in east California, Nevada or New Mexico.

Thanx for the weather update

no not really wrote:

Avoided 115F U.S. Olympic Trial wrote:

A. Duplantis avoided U.S. Olympic Trial in 115F heat with humidity.

It was hardly humid.

Most know it is near impossible and very unlikely to have very high humidity when temp. is 115F. Your comment was unnecessary.

runn wrote:

What I heard was that he didn't want to chance having an off day/injury the day of the trials final.

I love our system but really- someone like him is off on one day and he's out. In Sweden they just tell him he's on the team.

Well if that wasn't his logic it should have been. I don't see how this is complicated.

Right now he would have Nilsen, Kendricks and Lightfoot to deal with. Somebody is out. Sandi Morris barely made the Olympic team this year solely based on countback.