Brief History of Pole Vault

Pole vault is one of the field events in athletics that requires a high degree of coordination, speed, timing and gymnastic ability.

Competitors or athletes must attempt to clear the crossbar, which is supported by two rigid uprights, without knocking it with the aid of an extremely long flexible pole.

Pole vault originated in Europe where the pole was used to cross water channels. Then, the aim was for distance rather than height. Later, colleges started competing in pole vault competitions in the late 1800s, the vaulters used bamboo poles with a sharp point at the bottom.

The first recorded use of bamboo was in 1857. Steel poles were used by the top vaulters in the 1940s as well as flexible fibreglass. Carbon fibre poles were widely used in the late 1950s.

Pole vault for men became an Olympic game in 1896 while women’s Pole vault was introduced in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.