Swedish pole vaulter Armand “Mondo” Duplantis is showcasing his favorite color in a new song that promotes the inaugural Ultimate Championship.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist unveiled “Gold” in collaboration with World Athletics on Friday, marking it as the official anthem for the upcoming event with a staggering prize pool of $10 million US.
The Ultimate Championship is set to take place in Budapest from September 11-13, featuring Olympic, world, and Diamond League champions across three evening sessions. Individual event gold medalists will earn $150,000.
At 26, Duplantis has been involved in music for several years, having released his first single “Bop” in 2025.
As the world record holder, Duplantis expresses a desire to win a Grammy.
The song “Gold” was co-written by Duplantis alongside Carl Silvergran and Oscar Chase, with production handled by Chase, according to the announcement from World Athletics.
Duplantis stated, “I wrote the song to embody something much larger than oneself.” He added, “That’s what we all do on the track; we represent our family, our team, and our coaches. I cherish that idea. Music and sports are the two greatest unifiers, and `Gold’ embodies that sentiment.”
The music video for “Gold” was filmed in Budapest and features archival clips of Duplantis during his youth as an athlete.
Originally from Louisiana, Duplantis mentioned to the Olympics channel last year that he views music as a form of therapy. “I genuinely enjoy having another outlet to escape from sports a bit,” he said.
At the Ultimate Championship, his new track will be integrated into the broadcast and live-event experience, linking in-stadium fans with audiences worldwide, according to World Athletics.
Duplantis is set to perform “Gold” live at the stadium as the event concludes.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe remarked, “The Ultimate is intentionally crafted to highlight the skills and passions of the sport’s leading stars, both on and off the track. Mondo is one of our most distinguished athletes, and we are thrilled that he is the creator of the Ultimate Anthem.”
This championship will occur every two years.