All the Track and Field Events

In pole vaulting, the athlete attempts to clear a high crossbar with the aid of a flexible pole, generally from 4 to 5 m (12 to 16 ft) long, and usually made of fiberglass, which replaced bamboo or metal in the 1960s. Grasping the pole several feet from its top, the vaulter races down a short runway, digs the tip of the pole into a box or slot in the ground, and swings upward toward the crossbar. As the feet near the bar, the vaulter does a virtual handstand on the pole, thrusting the body facedown across the bar. The vaulter then drops onto a soft pad, called the pit, below. Pole vaulting requires good running speed, powerful shoulder muscles, and all-around gymnastic ability. Contestants get three tries at each height set by the officials; the height is increased usually by 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 in) at a time. Three misses at a given height disqualifies vaulters; competitors are then given credit for the greatest height cleared. Misses are charged when an athlete dislodges the bar, passes to the side of or underneath the bar, touches the ground beyond with the pole, switches hands, or moves the upper hand on the pole after leaving the ground. Vaults are measured perpendicularly from the upper side of the bar to the ground. In 1988 Sergei Bubka, considered the greatest pole vaulter in history, was the first vaulter to clear 6 m (19 ft 8 in); in 1991 he became the first vaulter to exceed 20 ft (6.1 m).

The grip is really important in pole vaulting. Grasping the pole several feet from its top, the vaulter races down a short runway, digs the tip of the pole into a box or slot in the ground, and swings upward toward the crossbar. As the feet near the bar, the vaulter does a virtual handstand on the pole, thrusting the body facedown across the bar. The vaulter then drops onto a soft pad, called the pit, below. Pole vaulting requires good running speed, powerful shoulder muscles, and all-around gymnastic ability. Contestants get three tries at each height set by the officials; the height is increased usually by 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 in) at a time. Three misses at a given height disqualifies vaulters; competitors are then given credit for the greatest height cleared. Misses are charged when an athlete dislodges the bar, passes to the side of or underneath the bar, touches the ground beyond with the pole, switches hands, or moves the upper hand on the pole after leaving the ground. Vaults are measured perpendicularly from the upper side of the bar to the ground.