re: Why does Mondo compete for Sweden?

With Sweden, he's guaranteed a shot at the Olympic team.
With Team USA, you have to qualify at Olympic trials which means if you go there and have one bad meet you may not make the Olympic team. Not to mention, who knows what the weather could be like at the trials to begin with with wind and issues that affect pole vaulters.
It's stupid that USA does it that way and in the past has disqualified really good athletes. Remember when Dan O Brien, one of the top decathletes in the world, failed to qualify one year because he did not complete his pole vault and he likely would have won gold as he was tops in the world but he stayed home.