Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's pole vault

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Women's pole vault
at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad
Olympic Athletics.png
Olympic Athletics
Venue Japan National Stadium
Dates2 August 2021 (qualifying)
5 August 2021
(final)
Competitors31 from 19 nations
Winning height4.90
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Katie Nageotte Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Silver medal icon.svg Anzhelika Sidorova Russian Olympic Committee flag.png  ROC
Bronze medal icon.svg Holly Bradshaw Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
  2016
2024  

The women's pole vault event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 2 and 5 August 2021 at the Japan National Stadium. [1] 31 athletes from 19 nations competed. [2] In her first Olympics, 30-year-old American Katie Nageotte won the gold medal by 5cm with a clearance of 4.90 metres. The silver medal went to Russian world champion Anzhelika Sidorova and the bronze to Holly Bradshaw of Great Britain.

Summary

Fifteen women qualified for the final by clearing 4.55m. Thirteen cleared the opening height of 4.50m, but the three who struggled at that height were among the favorites; defending champion Katerina Stefanidi, American champion Katie Nageotte and former junior world record holder Angelica Bengtsson each were down to their last attempt. At the next height, 4.70m, only four were able to get over the bar; World Champion Anzhelika Sidorova on her first attempt; seven-time British Champion Holly Bradshaw and Nageotte on their second; and again on her final attempt, Stefanidi. With a perfect series going, Sidorova had the lead, Bradshaw held the edge over Nageotte with Stefanidi off the podium as they moved the bar up to 4.80m, Stefanidi missed, Sidorova cleared to maintain her perfect series, Bradshaw missed and Nageotte made it to move into second position. Bradshaw and Stefanidi cleared on their second attempt, so the bar moved up to 4.85m. Stefanidi missed her first attempt again while the other three cleared on their first attempt. With nothing to be gained by a clearance, Stefanidi passed to the next height 4.90m. Only 9 women have ever cleared 4.90, all of these were among that group. Nobody cleared on their first attempt and when Stefanidi missed on her second and because of the earlier miss, final attempt, the medalists had been decided. Sidorova and Bradshaw missed again, then Nageotte cleared it cleanly with a scream to move into gold medal position. Sidorova passed her third attempt to make a single attempt at 4.95m for gold. Bradshaw missed equalling her personal best and finished with the bronze medal. Sidorova aborted her attempt at 4.95m passing under the bar leaving Nageotte with gold. After celebrating, Nageotte took one attempt at 5.01m to try to become #3 of all time but after already securing gold, she didn't have the fire, quitting half way down the runway.

Background

This was the 6th appearance of the event, having appeared at every Summer Olympics since 2000.

Qualification

A National Olympic Committee (NOC) could enter up to 3 qualified athletes in the women's pole vault event if all athletes meet the entry standard or qualify by ranking during the qualifying period. (The limit of 3 has been in place since the 1930 Olympic Congress.) The qualifying standard is 4.70 metres. This standard was "set for the sole purpose of qualifying athletes with exceptional performances unable to qualify through the IAAF World Rankings pathway." The world rankings, based on the average of the best five results for the athlete over the qualifying period and weighted by the importance of the meet, will then be used to qualify athletes until the cap of 32 is reached. [2] [3]

The qualifying period was originally from 1 May 2019 to 29 June 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the period was suspended from 6 April 2020 to 30 November 2020, with the end date extended to 29 June 2021. The world rankings period start date was also changed from 1 May 2019 to 30 June 2020; athletes who had met the qualifying standard during that time were still qualified, but those using world rankings would not be able to count performances during that time. The qualifying time standards could be obtained in various meets during the given period that have the approval of the IAAF. Both outdoor and indoor meets are eligible. The most recent Area Championships may be counted in the ranking, even if not during the qualifying period. [2] [4]

NOCs can also use their universality place—each NOC can enter one female athlete regardless of time if they had no female athletes meeting the entry standard for an athletics event—in the pole vault. [2]

Competition format

The 2020 competition continued to use the two-round format introduced in 1912. There were two distinct rounds of vaulting with results cleared between rounds. Vaulters were eliminated if they had three consecutive failures, whether at a single height or between multiple heights if they attempted to advance before clearing a height.

The qualifying round had the bar set at various heights up to a qualifying standard (to be determined closer to the start of the Games; 4.60 metres in 2016). All jumpers clearing that standard advanced to the final. A minimum of 12 jumpers advanced; if fewer than 12 achieved the qualifying standard, the top 12 (including ties after use of the countback rules) advanced.

The final had jumps starting typically just below the qualifying standard and increasing gradually. The final continued until all jumpers are eliminated. [5]

Women's pole vault

Qualification standardNo. of athletesNOCNominated athletes
Entry standard – 4.703Flag of Greece.svg  Greece Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou
Eleni-Klaoudia Polak
Katerina Stefanidi
3Flag of the United States.svg  United States Morgann LeLeux
Sandi Morris
Katie Nageotte
2Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Anicka Newell
Alysha Newman
2Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Li Ling
Xu Huiqin
2Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Angelica Bengtsson
Michaela Meijer
1Flag of Australia.svg  Australia Nina Kennedy
1Russian Olympic Committee flag.png  ROC [Note RUS] Anzhelika Sidorova
1Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus Iryna Zhuk
1Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba Yarisley Silva
1Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain Holly Bradshaw
1Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Roberta Bruni
1Civil Ensign of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia Tina Šutej
1Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Angelica Moser
1Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Maryna Kylypko
1Flag of Venezuela (state).svg  Venezuela Robeilys Peinado
World ranking2Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Elina Lampela
Wilma Murto
1Flag of Australia.svg  Australia Liz Parnov
1Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Fanny Smets
1Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic Romana Maláčová
1Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Lisa Ryzih
1Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Elisa Molinarolo
1Flag of Norway.svg  Norway Lene Retzius
1Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Andrina Hodel
1Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Yana Hladiychuk
Total32

Records

Prior to this competition, the existing world, Olympic, and area records were as follows.

World recordFlag of Russia.svg  Yelena Isinbayeva  (RUS)5.06 Zürich, Switzerland 28 August 2009
Olympic recordFlag of Russia.svg  Yelena Isinbayeva  (RUS)5.05 Beijing, China 18 August 2008
AreaHeight (m)AthleteNation
Africa ( records )4.42 Elmarie Gerryts Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
Asia ( records )4.72 Li Ling Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China
Europe ( records )5.06 WR Yelena Isinbayeva Flag of Russia.svg Russia
North, Central America
and Caribbean
( records )
5.03 Jenn Suhr Flag of the United States.svg United States
Oceania ( records )4.94 Eliza McCartney Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
South America ( records )4.87 Fabiana Murer Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil

Schedule

All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

The women's pole vault took place over two separate days. [1]

DateTimeRound
Monday, 2 August 202119:00Qualifying
Thursday, 5 August 202119:00Final

Result

Qualification

Qualification Rules: Qualifying performance 4.70 (Q) or at least 12 best performers (q) advance to the Final. [6] [7]

RankGroupAthleteNation4.254.404.55HeightNotes
1B Holly Bradshaw Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain o4.55 q
A Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou Flag of Greece.svg  Greece ooo4.55 q
A Katie Nageotte Flag of the United States.svg  United States o4.55 q
B Anicka Newell Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada oo4.55 q
A Robeilys Peinado Flag of Venezuela (state).svg  Venezuela oo4.55 q
B Anzhelika Sidorova Russian Olympic Committee flag.png  ROC o4.55 q
A Tina Šutej Civil Ensign of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia ooo4.55 q
8A Wilma Murto Flag of Finland.svg  Finland ooxo4.55 q
B Yarisley Silva Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba oxo4.55 q
B Katerina Stefanidi Flag of Greece.svg  Greece xo4.55 q
A Iryna Zhuk Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus oxo4.55 q
12A Angelica Bengtsson Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden oxoxo4.55 q
13B Morgann LeLeux Flag of the United States.svg  United States oxxo4.55 q
B Xu Huiqin Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China oxxo4.55 q
15A Maryna Kylypko Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine oxoxxo4.55 q
16B Michaela Meijer Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden ooxxx4.40
A Sandi Morris Flag of the United States.svg  United States oxxx4.40
18A Elisa Molinarolo Flag of Italy.svg  Italy xooxxx4.40
19A Eleni-Klaoudia Polak Flag of Greece.svg  Greece xxooxxx4.40
20B Angelica Moser Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland xoxxx4.40
21B Yana Hladiychuk Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine xxoxoxxx4.40
22A Nina Kennedy Flag of Australia.svg  Australia xxoxxx4.40
23B Romana Maláčová Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic xoxxoxxx4.40
24B Roberta Bruni Flag of Italy.svg  Italy oxxx4.25
A Andrina Hodel Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland oxxx4.25
B Liz Parnov Flag of Australia.svg  Australia oxxx4.25
27B Fanny Smets Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium xoxxx4.25
B Lene Retzius Flag of Norway.svg  Norway xoxxx4.25
A Li Ling Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China xxx NM
B Elina Lampela Flag of Finland.svg  Finland xxx NM
A Alysha Newman Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada xxx NM

Final

RankAthleteNation4.504.704.804.854.904.955.01HeightNotes
Gold medal icon.svg Katie Nageotte Flag of the United States.svg  United States xxoxoooxoxr4.90
Silver medal icon.svg Anzhelika Sidorova Russian Olympic Committee flag.png  ROC ooooxx–x4.85
Bronze medal icon.svg Holly Bradshaw Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain oxoxooxxx4.85
4 Katerina Stefanidi Flag of Greece.svg  Greece xxoxxoxox–xx4.80=SB
5 Maryna Kylypko Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine oxxx4.50
Tina Šutej Civil Ensign of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia oxxx4.50
Wilma Murto Flag of Finland.svg  Finland oxxx4.50
8 Yarisley Silva Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba xoxxx4.50
Xu Huiqin Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China xoxxx4.50
Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou Flag of Greece.svg  Greece xoxxx4.50
Robeilys Peinado Flag of Venezuela (state).svg  Venezuela xoxxx4.50
Iryna Zhuk Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus xoxxx4.50
13 Angelica Bengtsson Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden xxoxxx4.50
Morgann LeLeux Flag of the United States.svg  United States xxx NM
Anicka Newell Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada xxx NM

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References

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