Men's pole vault indoor world record progression

Last updated

The following is the Men's pole vault indoor world record progression starting from 1889, with additional demonstration and professional records being noted. The best indoor performances on record as agreed to by the world's leading statisticians were accepted as the inaugural Indoor World Records from 1 January 1987; previous to this, they were regarded as world indoor bests. [1] However, the inaugural record in this event was set early in 1987 by Sergey Bubka.

Contents

Pre-IAAF

MarkAthleteNat.DateVenue
3.35 m (10 ft 11+34 in) Hugh Baxter Flag of the United States (1877-1890).svg  USA 9.02.1889 New York City
3.395 m (11 ft 1+12 in) Jerome Magee Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg  USA 1.03.1902 Milwaukee
3.44 m (11 ft 3+14 in) LeRoy Samse Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg  USA 11.03.1905 Milwaukee
3.49 m (11 ft 5+14 in) LeRoy Samse Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg  USA 22.01.1906 Cincinnati
3.535 m (11 ft 7 in) Walter Dray Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg  USA 26.01.1906 New York City
3.54 m (11 ft 7+14 in) Sidney Grear Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg  USA 13.03.1907 Chicago
3.66 m (12 ft 0 in) Clare Jacobs Flag of the United States (1908-1912).svg  USA 12.02.1909 Chicago
3.73 m (12 ft 2+34 in) Clare Jacobs Flag of the United States (1908-1912).svg  USA 23.02.1909 Chicago
3.79 m (12 ft 5 in) Walter Dray Flag of the United States (1908-1912).svg  USA 06.04.1912 Chicago
3.86 m (12 ft 7+34 in) John Kendall Gold Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 29.03.1913 Chicago
3.87 m (12 ft 8+14 in) Florin W. Floyd Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 27.02.1916 Kansas City
3.92 m (12 ft 10+14 in) Percy Graham Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 08.04.1916 Evanston, United States
3.93 m (12 ft 10+12 in) Edwin Myers Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 30.03.1923 Evanston, United States
3.93 m (12 ft 10+12 in) Edward Knourek Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 30.03.1923 Evanston, United States
3.98 m (13 ft 12 in) Dean Brownell Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 15.03.1924 Evanston, United States
3.985 m (13 ft 34 in) Charles Hoff Flag of Norway.svg  NOR 04.02.1926 New York City
4.00 m (13 ft 1+14 in) Charles Hoff Flag of Norway.svg  NOR 06.02.1926 Boston
4.04 m (13 ft 3 in) Charles Hoff Flag of Norway.svg  NOR 13.02.1926 New York City
4.06 m (13 ft 3+34 in) Charles Hoff Flag of Norway.svg  NOR 17.02.1926 New York City
4.075 m (13 ft 4+14 in) Charles Hoff Flag of Norway.svg  NOR 23.02.1926 New York City
4.09 m (13 ft 5 in) Charles Hoff Flag of Norway.svg  NOR 27.02.1926 Baltimore
4.13 m (13 ft 6+12 in) Charles Hoff Flag of Norway.svg  NOR 06.03.1926 Chicago
4.14 m (13 ft 6+34 in) Charles Hoff Flag of Norway.svg  NOR 16.03.1926 New York City
4.15 m (13 ft 7+14 in) Charles Hoff Flag of Norway.svg  NOR 20.03.1926 New York City
4.165 m (13 ft 7+34 in) Charles Hoff Flag of Norway.svg  NOR 27.03.1926 St. Louis
4.17 m (13 ft 8 in) Charles Hoff Flag of Norway.svg  NOR 09.04.1926 Chicago
4.195 m (13 ft 9 in) Sabin Carr Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 14.02.1927 New York City
4.29 m (14 ft 34 in) Sabin Carr Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 25.02.1928 New York City
4.31 m (14 ft 1+12 in) Keith Brown Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 15.03.1933 New York City
4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) Keith Brown Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 17.02.1934 New York City
4.38 m (14 ft 4+14 in) George Varoff Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 13.02.1937 Boston
4.42 m (14 ft 6 in) Cornelius Warmerdam Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 11.02.1939 Boston
4.425 m (14 ft 6 in) Earle Meadows Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 25.03.1939 Chicago
4.44 m (14 ft 6+34 in) Earle Meadows Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 08.02.1941 Boston
4.45 m (14 ft 7 in) Earle Meadows Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 08.03.1941 New York City
4.485 m (14 ft 8+12 in) Cornelius Warmerdam Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 07.02.1942 New York City
4.58 m (15 ft 14 in) Cornelius Warmerdam Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 07.02.1942 New York City
4.62 m (15 ft 1+34 in) Cornelius Warmerdam Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 14.02.1942 Boston
4.755 m (15 ft 7 in) Cornelius Warmerdam Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 14.02.1942 Boston
4.79 m (15 ft 8+12 in) Cornelius Warmerdam Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 20.03.1943 Chicago
4.81 m (15 ft 9+14 in) Don Bragg Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  USA 13.02.1959 Philadelphia
4.83 m (15 ft 10 in) John Uelses Flag of the United States.svg  USA 27.01.1962 Washington, DC
4.88 m (16 ft 0 in) John Uelses Flag of the United States.svg  USA 02.02.1962 New York City
4.89 m (16 ft 12 in) John Uelses Flag of the United States.svg  USA 03.02.1962 Boston
4.91 m (16 ft 1+14 in) Don Meyers Flag of the United States.svg  USA 20.12.1962 Chicago
4.92 m (16 ft 1+12 in) Pentti Nikula Flag of Finland.svg  FIN 19.01.1963 Nastola
4.93 m (16 ft 2 in) David Tork Flag of the United States.svg  USA 25.01.1963 Toronto
4.96 m (16 ft 3+14 in) Yang Chuan-Kwang Flag of the Republic of China.svg  TWN 26.01.1963 Portland
5.00 m (16 ft 4+34 in) Pentti Nikula Flag of Finland.svg  FIN 02.02.1963 Nastola
5.05 m (16 ft 6+34 in) Pentti Nikula Flag of Finland.svg  FIN 02.02.1963 Nastola
5.10 m (16 ft 8+34 in) Pentti Nikula Flag of Finland.svg  FIN 02.02.1963 Nastola

World record progression (since 1966)

Ratified
Not ratified
Ratified but later rescinded
Pending ratification
MarkAthleteNat.DateVenue
IAAF ratified bests (1966–1986)
5.12 m (16 ft 9+12 in) John Pennel Flag of the United States.svg  USA 22.01.1966 Los Angeles
5.13 m (16 ft 9+34 in) John Pennel Flag of the United States.svg  USA 12.02.1966 Los Angeles
5.19 m (17 ft 14 in) A Robert Seagren Flag of the United States.svg  USA 05.03.1966 Albuquerque
5.20 m (17 ft 12 in) Robert Seagren Flag of the United States.svg  USA 18.03.1966 Cleveland
5.20 m (17 ft 12 in) Robert Seagren Flag of the United States.svg  USA 29.12.1966 Saskatoon
5.23 m (17 ft 1+34 in) A Robert Seagren Flag of the United States.svg  USA 28.01.1967 Albuquerque
5.26 m (17 ft 3 in) Robert Seagren Flag of the United States.svg  USA 18.02.1967 Cleveland
5.29 m (17 ft 4+14 in) Robert Seagren Flag of the United States.svg  USA 25.01.1968 New York City
5.33 m (17 ft 5+34 in) A Robert Seagren Flag of the United States.svg  USA 25.01.1969 Albuquerque
5.33 m (17 ft 5+34 in) Robert Seagren Flag of the United States.svg  USA 08.02.1969 Inglewood
5.34 m (17 ft 6 in) Kjell Isaksson Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE 08.03.1970 Göteborg
5.36 m (17 ft 7 in) Jan Johnson Flag of the United States.svg  USA 20.06.1970 Des Moines
5.38 m (17 ft 7+34 in) Kjell Isaksson Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE 12.02.1971 Inglewood
5.40 m (17 ft 8+12 in) Wolfgang Nordwig Flag of East Germany.svg  GDR 14.03.1971 Sofia
5.41 m (17 ft 8+34 in) Kjell Isaksson Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE 19.03.1971 Cleveland
5.45 m (17 ft 10+12 in) Kjell Isaksson Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE 25.02.1972 New York City
5.46 m (17 ft 10+34 in) Steve Smith Flag of the United States.svg  USA 20.01.1973 Los Angeles
5.49 m (18 ft 0 in) Steve Smith Flag of the United States.svg  USA 26.01.1973 New York City
5.51 m (18 ft 34 in) Dan Ripley Flag of the United States.svg  USA 18.01.1975 Los Angeles
5.52 m (18 ft 1+14 in) Dan Ripley Flag of the United States.svg  USA 09.01.1976 College Park
5.54 m (18 ft 2 in) Dan Ripley Flag of the United States.svg  USA 06.02.1976 Inglewood
5.56 m (18 ft 2+34 in) Tadeusz Ślusarski Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  POL 08.02.1976 Warsaw
5.57 m (18 ft 3+14 in) Władysław Kozakiewicz Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  POL 13.02.1976 Toronto
5.58 m (18 ft 3+12 in) Dan Ripley Flag of the United States.svg  USA 20.02.1976 New York City
5.59 m (18 ft 4 in) Mike Tully Flag of the United States.svg  USA 07.01.1978 Long Beach, California
5.62 m (18 ft 5+14 in) Mike Tully Flag of the United States.svg  USA 11.03.1978 Detroit
5.63 m (18 ft 5+12 in) Dan Ripley Flag of the United States.svg  USA 03.03.1979 Fort Worth
5.64 m (18 ft 6 in) Konstantin Volkov Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 09.02.1980 Moscow
5.70 m (18 ft 8+14 in) Konstantin Volkov Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 06.07.1980 Moscow
5.70 m (18 ft 8+14 in) Thierry Vigneron Flag of France.svg  FRA 18.01.1981 Lyon
5.70 m (18 ft 8+14 in) Thierry Vigneron Flag of France.svg  FRA 22.02.1981 Grenoble
5.71 m (18 ft 8+34 in) Billy Olson Flag of the United States.svg  USA 29.01.1982 Toronto
5.72 m (18 ft 9 in) Billy Olson Flag of the United States.svg  USA 06.02.1982 Louisville
5.73 m (18 ft 9+12 in) Billy Olson Flag of the United States.svg  USA 19.02.1982 San Diego
5.74 m (18 ft 9+34 in) Billy Olson Flag of the United States.svg  USA 27.02.1982 Kansas City
5.75 m (18 ft 10+14 in) Billy Olson Flag of the United States.svg  USA 14.01.1983 Ottawa
5.76 m (18 ft 10+34 in) Billy Olson Flag of the United States.svg  USA 21.01.1983 Inglewood
5.80 m (19 ft 14 in) Billy Olson Flag of the United States.svg  USA 04.02.1983 Toronto
5.81 m (19 ft 12 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 15.01.1984 Vilnius
5.82 m (19 ft 1 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 01.02.1984 Milan
5.83 m (19 ft 1+12 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 10.02.1984 Inglewood
5.85 m (19 ft 2+14 in) Thierry Vigneron Flag of France.svg  FRA 04.03.1984 Göteborg
5.86 m (19 ft 2+12 in) Billy Olson Flag of the United States.svg  USA 28.12.1985 Saskatoon
5.87 m (19 ft 3 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 15.01.1986 Osaka
5.88 m (19 ft 3+14 in) Billy Olson Flag of the United States.svg  USA 17.01.1986 Inglewood
5.89 m (19 ft 3+34 in) A Billy Olson Flag of the United States.svg  USA 25.01.1986 Albuquerque
5.91 m (19 ft 4+12 in) Joe Dial Flag of the United States.svg  USA 01.02.1986 Columbia
5.92 m (19 ft 5 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 08.02.1986 Moscow
5.93 m (19 ft 5+14 in) Billy Olson Flag of the United States.svg  USA 08.02.1986 East Rutherford
5.94 m (19 ft 5+34 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 21.02.1986 Inglewood
5.95 m (19 ft 6+14 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 28.02.1986 New York City
5.96 m (19 ft 6+12 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 15.01.1987 Osaka
IAAF ratified records (since 1987)
5.97 m (19 ft 7 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 17.03.1987 Torino
6.00 m (19 ft 8 in) Rodion Gataulin Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 22.01.1989 Leningrad
6.02 m (19 ft 9 in) Rodion Gataulin Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 04.02.1989 Gomel
6.03 m (19 ft 9+14 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 11.02.1989 Osaka
6.05 m (19 ft 10 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 17.03.1990 Donetsk
6.08 m (19 ft 11+14 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 09.02.1991 Volgograd
6.10 m (20 ft 0 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 15.03.1991 San Sebastián
6.11 m (20 ft 12 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 19.03.1991 Donetsk
6.12 m (20 ft 34 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  URS 23.03.1991 Grenoble
6.13 m (20 ft 1+14 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of Ukraine.svg  UKR 22.02.1992 Berlin
6.14 m (20 ft 1+12 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of Ukraine.svg  UKR 13.02.1993 Lievin
6.15 m (20 ft 2 in) Sergey Bubka Flag of Ukraine.svg  UKR 21.02.1993 Donetsk
6.16 m (20 ft 2+12 in) Renaud Lavillenie Flag of France.svg  FRA 15.02.2014 Donetsk
6.17 m (20 ft 2+34 in) Armand Duplantis Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE 08.02.2020 Toruń
6.18 m (20 ft 3+14 in) Armand Duplantis Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE 15.02.2020 Glasgow
6.19 m (20 ft 3+12 in) Armand Duplantis Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE 07.03.2022 Belgrade
6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) Armand Duplantis Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE 20.03.2022 Belgrade
6.22 m (20 ft 4+34 in) Armand Duplantis Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE 25.02.2023 Clermont-Ferrand
6.27 m (20 ft 6+34 in) Armand Duplantis Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE 28.02.2025 Clermont-Ferrand

Other marks of note

Demonstration

MarkAthleteNat.DateVenue
4.01 m (13 ft 1+34 in) Charles Hoff Flag of Norway.svg  NOR 11.02.1926 Brooklyn
5.28 m (17 ft 3+34 in) Bob Seagren Flag of the United States.svg  USA 22.12.1966 Mobile
5.86 m (19 ft 2+12 in) Larry Jessee Flag of the United States.svg  USA 16.10.1985 Newcastle, Australia

Unsanctioned meeting

MarkAthleteNat.DateVenue
5.32 m (17 ft 5+14 in) Herve D'Encausse Flag of France.svg  FRA 30.03.1967 Paris

Dubious professional records

MarkAthleteNat.DateVenue
3.43 m (11 ft 3 in) Robert Musgrave Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  GBR 16.03.1864 Islington
3.50 m (11 ft 5+34 in) Robert Musgrave Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  GBR 26.03.1869 Islington

Professional

MarkAthleteNat.DateVenue
3.35 m (10 ft 11+34 in) John Allison Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  GBR 19.04.1867 Islington
3.35 m (10 ft 11+34 in) Robert Musgrave Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  GBR 19.04.1867 Islington
5.51 m (18 ft 34 in) A Steve Smith Flag of the United States.svg  USA 22.02.1974 Salt Lake City
5.53 m (18 ft 1+12 in) A Steve Smith Flag of the United States.svg  USA 23.02.1974 Pocatello
5.55 m (18 ft 2+12 in) Steve Smith Flag of the United States.svg  USA 17.01.1975 Montreal
5.59 m (18 ft 4 in) Steve Smith Flag of the United States.svg  USA 11.04.1975 Portland
5.61 m (18 ft 4+34 in) Steve Smith Flag of the United States.svg  USA 28.05.1975 New York City

References

  1. "Doha 2010 Statistics Handbook - Part two" (PDF). Monte Carlo: IAAF Media & Public Relations Department. 2010. pp. Pages 256, 261–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2012.

See also