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An athletic competition in which the competitors use a flexible carbon-fiber and fiberglass pole to lift themselves over a bar. The competitor who achieves the highest height without knocking the bar is the winner.
The vaulting pole is a very advanced piece of equipment. It is constructed from carbon fiber and fiberglass composite materials in several layers. The pole is designed to be able to absorb all of the vaulter's energy during the initial bending, and then return as much of that energy as possible when it straightens.
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Pole vaulting's exact origins are not know. But the ancient Greeks and the Cretans used long poles to vault over bulls, and many european nations used poles (but for distance instead of height) to vault over rivers. Poles were first used in height contests in Germany around 1775, during gymnastics competitions.
Originally ash poles were used and the competitors actually climbed them as they jumped. In 1889, the the movement of the hands was banned and people started reversing the legs upwards, clearing the crossbar with stomach facing down. Changes in the pole design revolutionized the sport, first with bamboo, then aluminum, then steal, and finally the fiberglass and carbon fiber poles used today.
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Born December 4th, 1963, Sergey Bubka is the current men's pole vault record holder. This Ukranian pole vaulter was the first man to clear the 20 ft height (1991). With a current record of 20' 1 3/4", six World Champion titles, and an Olympic gold medal, he has earned a place in the ranks of the Athletic Hall of Fame.
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