The overwhelming favorite was Sergey Bubka. He was a three-time World Champion, defending Olympic Champion, and by 1992 had set the last 16 world records in pole vaulting. On 5 August 1991 one of his world records was over 6.10 (20-0¼), which meant little to most people, but to the Imperial…
By 1988, Sergey Bubka was the greatest vaulter in the world, and possibly the best of all-time, rivaled only by Cornelius “Dutch” Warmerdam, who never got to compete at the Olympics. Bubka had won the 1983 and 1987 World Championships, the 1986 European Championships, had set nine world records (outdoors), and was…
Sergey Bubka’s unexpected win in the pole vault at the 1983 World Championships heralded the beginning of his unparalleled dominance in the event, which included four separate improvements of the world record in 1984, culminating in a clearance of 5.94m. Bubka’s rapid raising of the world record fuelled speculation that…
The precise origin of pole vaulting isn’t known. It was likely discovered independently in a variety of cultures as a way of surmounting physical obstacles, such as streams or irrigation ditches. Egyptian relief sculptures from approximately 2500 B.C. depict warriors using poles to surmount enemy walls. The first known pole…
Only the great Sergey Bubka has jumped higher than Steve Hooker. The Australian is one of only 17 men to have cleared six metres in the pole vault but the 29-year-old is rebuilding his career after a case of the yips that looked set to threaten his bid to defend…
