Pole Vault
Vertical jumping event in which athletes use a flexible carbon-fibre pole to launch themselves over a horizontal bar, currently exceeding 6.2 m (20+ ft).
What is Pole Vault?
Pole vault is a track and field jumping event in which athletes use a long, flexible pole (typically carbon fibre) to jump over a crossbar set at increasing heights. The athlete sprints down a runway, plants the pole in a metal box in the ground, and rides the pole's bend upward, clearing the crossbar and landing on a foam mattress. Pole vault has been part of the Olympic Games since 1896 (men) and 2000 (women). The current world records are held by Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis (Sweden) at 6.24 m (August 2024, Silesia) for men — Duplantis has broken his own WR 11+ times since 2020 — and Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) at 5.06 m (2009) for women. Modern flexible carbon-fibre poles (introduced in the 1960s replacing bamboo/aluminum) enabled dramatic height gains — Bob Seagren's 5.66 m in 1972 was landmark; today 6 m clearances are common at Diamond League meets.
Quick facts
Category
Athletics
Type
Individual
Players
1–20
Duration
~3 min
Where played
outdoor
Field / court
pole vault runway + landing pit
Country of origin
🇬🇷 Greece
Estimated origin
Ancient pole vaulting for crossing streams (Celtic, Frisian traditions); modern competitive since 19th century; Olympic since 1896
Olympic
Yes
Popularity
global
How it works
Objective
Clear the highest bar with 3 attempts allowed per height. Winner clears the highest height; ties broken by attempts count.
Match structure
Competition starts at a moderate height; athletes may choose to enter at their preferred height (passing lower heights). Each athlete has 3 attempts per height. Success at that height, or elect to pass. Bar rises in increments (typically 5-10 cm). Athletes eliminated after 3 consecutive misses at a single height. Last athlete standing (or highest cleared) wins.
Rules
Basic rules
Approach and plant
Sprint 30-40 m down runway; plant pole in ground box.
Take-off and swing
Left foot on ground (for right-handed vaulter); pull down + swing up; pole bends and straightens.
Clearance
Body must clear over the bar without knocking it down. Landing in the pit.
3 attempts per height
3 misses at a single height = eliminated. Bar raised at officials' pace.
Passing
Athletes may pass any height and enter the competition later — but 3-strike rule still applies at their entry.
Winner determined
Highest bar cleared; ties broken by fewest attempts at winning height, then fewest total misses across competition.
Advanced rules
Pole selection
Athletes bring 5-10 poles of different stiffness ('flex' ratings). Choice depends on wind, energy, and confidence.
Grip height
Higher grip = higher potential clearance but requires more speed and technique.
Take-off leg convention
Right-handed vaulters take off from left leg (planting pole with right hand up).
Bar-clearance body arch
Elite vaulters arch body over the bar in an inverted 'U' — clearing while facing downward.
Pole size cap
Poles cannot exceed 5.30 m for men in most competitions.
Scoring
Height cleared determines finish position; ties broken by attempts at final height then total attempts.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Clear a height | Advance to next height |
| 3 consecutive misses at a height | Eliminated |
| Tiebreak 1 | Fewest attempts at last cleared height |
| Tiebreak 2 | Fewest total misses across competition |
Win condition · Highest cleared bar wins. Championship: Olympic/World gold, silver, bronze based on height + tiebreak.
Playing area
Called
pole vault runway + landing pit
Dimensions
Runway 40+ m long × 1.22 m wide; box 0.6 m; landing pad 5m × 5m × 0.8m foam.
Synthetic-surface runway leading to metal 'box' where pole is planted. Twin upright standards hold horizontal crossbar. Landing area is deep foam pit with crossbar-catch cushion.
Equipment
Pole
Carbon fibre / fibreglass, 4.6-5.3 m long, 3.5-8.5 kg. Selected by athlete based on grip height and body weight.
Crossbar
Fibreglass, 4.5 m long, ~3 kg; sits on standards; dislodges if touched.
Uprights (standards)
Adjustable vertical posts holding crossbar.
Landing pit
Deep foam mattress 5×5×0.8m; secondary cushions for pole/crossbar catch.
Spikes
Sprint-style shoes with 8-mm spikes.
Chalk / tape / grip enhancer
For hand grip on the pole.
Wrist tape
Applied for grip and protection.
Officiating
Judges verify each attempt for legal clearance and bar disturbance. Timing per attempt is 60 sec (30 sec once field ≤ 2 athletes).
- Chief Judge
- Field Judges (2-3)
- Wind Gauge Operator
Strategies
Consistent approach
Perfect the 6-8 stride mark-out; consistency of approach matters more than raw speed.
Pass heights strategically
Skip early heights to conserve energy for winning-relevant bars.
Pole progression
Move to a stiffer pole as competition height increases — matches your energy input.
First-attempt clearances
Save physical energy and win tiebreaks by clearing on your first try.
Terminology
- Approach
- Sprint down the runway before plant.
- Plant
- Placing the pole tip in the box.
- Take-off leg
- The foot that leaves the ground last (left for right-handed vaulters).
- Swing-up
- The vaulter pulls up and inverts, riding pole's bend.
- Bar clearance
- The body-over-bar phase; must not knock bar down.
- Standards
- The two upright posts holding the crossbar.
- Box
- The metal 'plant box' in the ground where the pole is planted.
- Grip
- The height on the pole where the vaulter holds. Higher grip = higher potential.
- Flex rating
- Pole stiffness — determines how much energy stored in bend.
- Passing
- Choosing not to attempt a height and saving attempts for a higher bar.
- PB / SB / WR
- Personal Best / Season Best / World Record.
Major competitions
Olympic Games pole vault
quadrennial · worldwide · since 1896
World Athletics Championships
biennial · worldwide · since 1983
Diamond League pole vault
annual multi-round · worldwide · since 2010
Pole Vault Star (indoor)
annual · worldwide
Where it is played
Governing bodies
World Athletics
Founded 1912 · Monaco
Official site ↗
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis (Sweden) — 6.24 m WR (Aug 2024); Olympic gold 2020, 2024; 11+ WR breaks since 2020
- Sergey Bubka (Ukraine) — 6× World Champion; 35 WR breaks; first ever 6 m clearance (1985)
- Renaud Lavillenie (France) — 6.16 m indoor WR (2014); Olympic 2012 gold
- Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) — 5.06 m women's WR (2009); Olympic 2004, 2008 gold
- Katerina Stefanidi (Greece) — Olympic 2016 gold
- Anzhelika Sidorova (RUS/AIN) — 2020 Olympic silver, 2019 World Champion
- Sam Kendricks (USA) — 2× World Champion
- Bob Richards (USA) — first pole vaulter to clear 15 ft (4.57 m)
Records
Men's pole vault WR
Armand Duplantis (SWE) — 6.24 m (Silesia, August 2024) (2024)
Women's pole vault WR
Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) — 5.06 m (Zurich 2009) (2009)
First 6 m clearance
Sergey Bubka (URS) — 6.00 m (Paris 1985) (1985)
Most Olympic golds (pole vault)
Bob Richards / Armand Duplantis — 2 each (Richards 1952, 1956; Duplantis 2020, 2024) (2024)
Most WR breaks
Sergey Bubka — 35 (both indoor + outdoor 1984-1994) (1994)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Learn to run and plant
Basic approach and pole plant with a soft pole and no bar.
- 2
Swing through onto a mat
Practice the swing-up and body inversion into a mat, no bar.
- 3
First bar clearances 2-3 m
Introduce low bar; focus on clean take-off and swing.
intermediate
- 1
Progressive heights
Master 4-4.5 m; introduce stiffer poles.
- 2
Approach consistency
Video review to perfect stride pattern and take-off point.
- 3
College / national programme
In USA, NCAA is main pathway; elsewhere, national federation youth pipelines.
advanced
- 1
5+ m clearances
Elite bar; requires 10+ m/s approach and precise technique.
- 2
Full-time coaching, S&C, gymnastics work
Duplantis-tier vaulters practice daily with dedicated coaches.
- 3
Championship circuit
Diamond League, World Championships, Olympic Games.
Frequently asked
What is the pole vault world record?+
Men: 6.24 m by Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis (Sweden), set August 2024 in Silesia. Women: 5.06 m by Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia), set July 2009 in Zurich.
How fast are pole vaulters at take-off?+
Elite vaulters reach 9.5-10 m/s (34-36 km/h) approach speed at the plant. Faster approach + higher grip = more potential height.
How does pole selection work?+
Vaulters bring 5-10 poles of different stiffness ('flex' ratings) selected by body weight and grip height. Softer poles for warm-up, stiffer for high jumps.
Who is Mondo Duplantis?+
Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis, Swedish-American pole vaulter born 2000. Since 2020 he has broken the world record 11+ times, culminating in 6.24 m in August 2024. Widely considered the greatest pole vaulter of all time.
Why is the pole flexible?+
Flexible carbon fibre / fibreglass poles bend under the athlete's weight and speed, storing kinetic energy. As the pole straightens, that energy launches the vaulter upward — much higher than a rigid pole would allow.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Pole vault— Wikipedia
- World Athletics — Pole vault— World Athletics