Athletics
Pole Vault
Pole vault converts runway speed and pole bend into vertical lift over a crossbar. Athletes manage both a complex movement sequence and the strategic selection of heights.
At a glance
- The pole is planted in a recessed box.
- Three consecutive failures eliminate a vaulter.
- Competitors may choose and pass heights.
Player profile. Vaulters need sprint speed, upper-body control, gymnastic inversion, and exact spatial timing. They must carry a long pole without disturbing the run, strike the box securely, allow the pole to bend and recoil, then turn and release while clearing the bar safely.
Where it happens
A long runway leads to a recessed planting box, uprights, crossbar, and a deep landing bed. The box anchors the lower end of the pole while the standards can position the bar, creating a carefully controlled space in which approach speed is redirected through a bending implement.
- The source shows a long runway and adjustable standards surrounding the landing area.
What you need
- Fiberglass or carbon-fiber pole
- Vault spikes
- Plant box
- Crossbar, standards, and landing mats
How to play
- The vaulter accelerates with the pole, plants it in the box, swings and inverts as the pole recoils, turns over the bar, and lands on the pad. Pole length and grip are matched to the athlete.
The essential rules
- The pole must be planted in the box.
- The athlete may not knock the bar from its supports.
- Three consecutive misses end the competition.
- A vaulter may pass heights or remaining attempts.
- The pole may break without automatically counting as a failure under applicable rules.
- The athlete may not steady or replace the bar by hand.
- Attempts must begin within the allowed time.
- Ties use miss count and, if required, a jump-off.
How the result is decided
The competition follows the same rising-height logic as high jump: a valid clearance counts, three consecutive failures eliminate the vaulter, and misses are used to break ties. Passing a height can preserve energy but also leaves fewer opportunities if conditions or rhythm deteriorate later.
Fouls and penalties
- Failed bar clearance
- Ground contact beyond the box before clearing
- Manual support of bar
- Time violation
Techniques
- Controlled pole carry
- Accurate plant
- Swing and inversion
- Turn and push-off
Tactics
- Choose pole stiffness and grip for conditions.
- Enter at a secure height.
- Use passes and standards placement strategically.
Disciplines and variants
- Indoor pole vault
Competition landscape
- Olympic Games
- World Athletics Championships
Records in the reference
No stable record table is published here. Records change; use the current governing-body source before acting.
How the sport developed
The book traces pole-assisted jumping from practical crossings to organized height competition. Rigid poles limited technique, while more flexible materials stored and returned greater energy; purpose-built planting boxes and padded landing areas then made the modern inverted vault both measurable and safer.
- The source profiles Sergey Bubka's repeated world-record progression.
Play it in India
A dated public source documents an Indian federation, programme or centre for this sport. Current local intake, price and availability still require confirmation.
- Athletics Federation of India is the current organisation reference and is matched to a dated MYAS recognition source. This does not establish local intake, price, schedule or availability.
- Organisation reference
- Athletics Federation of India
- Recognition state
- MYAS recognition list matched
- SAI NCOE discipline rows
- No matching centre row found
- Khelo India discipline
- Not established
- Olympic programme
- Current · since 1896
- India Olympic medals
- No sport-level total in current sources
Evidence and currency
This is an original KhelPath explainer assembled from editorial research. It is orientation, not an authoritative rulebook.
World Athletics Book of Rules ↗ · observed 2026-08-28