Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's pole vault

The men's pole vault at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea had an entry list of 21 competitors from 13 nations, with two qualifying groups (21 jumpers) before the final (15) took place on Wednesday September 28, 1988.[1] The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress.

Men's pole vault
at the Games of the XXIV Olympiad
Olympic Stadium (2012)
VenueOlympic Stadium
Dates23 September 1988 (qualifying)
25 September 1988 (final)
Competitors21 from 13 nations
Winning height5.90 OR
Medalists
Sergey Bubka
 Soviet Union
Rodion Gataullin
 Soviet Union
Grigoriy Yegorov
 Soviet Union

Three Soviet, French and American athletes made the final, but it was the Soviet bloc that dominated the event, sweeping the medals, with Sergey Bubka already the dominant vaulter. His world record of 6.06 metres, set two months earlier, has only been cleared by three other men, 2008 gold medalist Steven Hooker and 2012 gold medalist Renaud Lavillenie, and Armand DuPlantis in 2020 since. But while Bubka would vault in 3 more Olympics and would continue to dominate the World Championships with ultimately 6 consecutive wins, this would be the only Olympic medal he would achieve. It was the only victory the Soviet Union had in the men's pole vault, though the Unified Team would win in 1992. Rodion Gataullin and Grigoriy Yegorov completed the medal sweep for the Soviet team; it was the fourth pole vault medal sweep (the United States had done it in 1904, 1924, and 1928). The 1988 Games were the first in which the United States competed in the pole vault but won no medals.

Background

This was the 21st appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. The returning finalists from the 1984 Games were the two bronze medalists, Earl Bell of the United States and Thierry Vigneron of France. Sergey Bubka was dominant: he had won the 1983 and 1987 world championships, won the 1986 European championship, set the world record nine times between 1984 and 1988, and was the only man to have cleared 6 metres.[2]

South Korea made its men's pole vaulting debut. The United States made its 20th appearance, most of any nation, having missed only the boycotted 1980 Games.

Competition format

The competition used the two-round format introduced in 1912, with results cleared between rounds. Vaulters received three attempts at each height. Ties were broken by the countback rule.

In the qualifying round, the bar was set at 5.10 metres, 5.20 metres, 5.30 metres, 5.40 metres, 5.45 metres, 5.50 metres, and 5.55 metres. The first two heights were only used in the second qualifying group. All vaulters clearing 5.55 metres advanced to the final. If fewer than 12 cleared that height, the top 12 (including ties) advanced.

In the final, the bar was set at 5.10 metres, 5.25 metres, 5.40 metres, 5.50 metres, 5.60 metres, and then increased by 5 centimetres as a time.[2][3]

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in metres) prior to the 1988 Summer Olympics.

World record Sergey Bubka (URS)6.06Nice, France10 July 1988
Olympic record Władysław Kozakiewicz (POL)5.78Moscow, Soviet Union30 July 1980

When the bar was raised to 5.80 metres, giving vaulters a chance to break the Olympic record, only the three Soviets remained in the competition. Grigoriy Yegorov was the only one to jump at 5.80 metres, becoming the first to break the Olympic record. Rodion Gataullin jumped successfully at 5.85 metres, breaking Yegorov's new record while Yegorov passed. At 5.90 metres, Sergey Bubka broke Gataullin's record with a mark that stood at the end of the Games, as none of the three could clear further.

Schedule

All times are Korea Standard Time adjusted for daylight savings (UTC+10)

Date Time Round
Monday, 26 September 1988Qualifying
Wednesday, 28 September 198812:00Final

Results

Key

  • o = Height cleared
  • x = Height failed
  • = Height passed
  • r  = Retired
  • SB = Season's best
  • PB = Personal best
  • NR = National record
  • AR = Area record
  • OR = Olympic record
  • WR = World record
  • WL = World lead
  • NM = No mark
  • DNS = Did not start
  • DQ = Disqualified

Qualifying

The qualifying round was held on Monday September 26, 1988. After a dispute regarding disparate raising increments between the groups, all 15 of the vaulters who had cleared 5.40 metres were advanced to the final.

RankGroupAthleteNation5.105.205.305.405.455.505.55HeightNotes
1ARodion Gataullin Soviet Uniono5.50q
ASergey Bubka Soviet Uniono5.50q
3AGrigoriy Yegorov Soviet Uniono5.45q
4AKory Tarpenning United Statesox–5.40q
AEarl Bell United Statesox–5.40q
AMirosław Chmara Polando5.40q
BMarian Kolasa Polando5.40q
8BAsko Peltoniemi Finlandxxoo5.40q
9ABilly Olson United Statesxo5.40q
APhilippe Collet Francexo5.40q
AHermann Fehringer Austriaoxo5.40q
BZdeněk Lubenský Czechoslovakiaooxo5.40q
BPhilippe d'Encausse Franceoxo5.40q
BIstván Bagyula Hungaryoooxo5.40q
15BThierry Vigneron Franceooxoxo5.40q
16BKim Chul-Kyun South KoreaxoxoxoxxxN/A5.30
17BPaul Just CanadaxooxxoxxxN/A5.30
AAtanas Tarev BulgariaxxxN/ANo mark
BLee Jae-bok South KoreaxxxN/ANo mark
BJavier García SpainxxxN/ANo mark
BAndy Ashurst Great BritainxxxN/ANo mark

Final

The final was held on Wednesday September 28, 1988.

RankAthleteNation5.105.255.405.505.605.655.705.755.805.855.905.956.10HeightNotes
Sergey Bubka Soviet Unionxoxxox5.90OR
Rodion Gataullin Soviet UnionoxxoxxxN/A5.85
Grigoriy Yegorov Soviet UnionoxooxxxN/A5.80
4Earl Bell United StatesoooxxxN/A5.70
5Thierry Vigneron FrancexoooxoxN/A5.70
Philippe Collet FrancexoxoxxxN/A5.70
7István Bagyula HungaryoooooxxxN/A5.60
8Philippe d'Encausse Franceox–xoxxxN/A5.60
9Asko Peltoniemi FinlandoxxoxxxN/A5.60
10Kory Tarpenning United StatesoxxxN/A5.50
11Zdeněk Lubenský CzechoslovakiaxooxxxN/A5.50
12Billy Olson United StatesxxoxxxN/A5.50
13Hermann Fehringer AustriaooxxxN/A5.40
Mirosław Chmara PolandxxxN/ANo mark
Marian Kolasa PolandxxxN/ANo mark

See also

References

  1. "Athletics at the 1988 Seoul Summer Games: Men's Pole Vault". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  2. "Pole Vault, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  3. Official Report, vol. 2, p. 242.
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