Pole Vaulting History

The jaw-dropping sport of pole vaulting has been a men’s Olympic sport since 1896. Recently, in the year 2000, pole vaulting has also officially become an Olympic event for women. Pole vaulting has gone through significant changes, considering it wasn’t even originally a sport. While the exact era in which pole vaulting was created is unknown, the history behind it is very interesting. Pole vaulting originally was not a sport at all. As early as 2500 BCE, there were Egyptian sculptures that show warriors using vaulting as a way to get over walls and into enemy lines. It is assumed that the warriors used their spears and other weapons as makeshift poles before making poles specifically for jumping. Vaulting was also used as a way to

They were more of a phase, as they did not last long because they were too heavy and inefficient. The next advancement in pole technology is what is currently used today. Poles are made out of fiberglass and carbon fiber. Both poles are currently used; it is usually the vaulter’s preference as to which they feel more comfortable. There are even poles now that are made out of fiberglass with a carbon fiber layer. These poles are safer in that they can only be broken if misused, and are extremely light. These poles are also the most flexible pole seen yet, which allows for vaulters to jump to much higher heights while putting in the same amount of effort. When the vaulter runs down the runway and plants the pole, he or she is putting all of their kinetic energy into the pole as they jump and the pole bends, transferring and storing this kinetic energy into potential energy. When the pole starts to unbend, this energy is given back to the vaulter as it propels them up in the air. This is why the carbon fiber and fiberglass poles are so revolutionary. They allow for the vaulter to bend to pole more, and store so much energy that when they swing themselves up, the vaulter almost gets sling-shotted into the