Top Ten Vaulters of All Time

[VTechVaulter]

im very upset the kjel is not on there. He is amazing. And tarasov needs to higher.

[skycock]

wow, i havnt even hraed of most of those guys

Maksim tarasov - jumped 16 when 16, 17 when 17, 18 when 18, and 19 when 19. Also a coholder of the nonbubka world record at 19'10

actually, tarasov jumped 19 when he was 18. just for future referece.

[OAKPV2004]

wow, i havnt even hraed of most of those guys

Maksim tarasov - jumped 16 when 16, 17 when 17, 18 when 18, and 19 when 19. Also a coholder of the nonbubka world record at 19'10

actually, tarasov jumped 19 when he was 18. just for future referece.

Does that mean thats the HS World record?

[achtungpv]

wow, i havnt even hraed of most of those guys

Maksim tarasov - jumped 16 when 16, 17 when 17, 18 when 18, and 19 when 19. Also a coholder of the nonbubka world record at 19'10

actually, tarasov jumped 19 when he was 18. just for future referece.

Tarasov's 5.80 is on the books as age 19 because the IAAF doesn't recognize the day your were born...just the year. Even if he would have jumped 5.80 on Jan. 1st and didn't turn 19 until Dec. 31st, it still would be on the books as his 19th year. That's why Jacob Davis' 5.90 isn't the U20 World Record...he turned 20 a few weeks later.

[steiner15]

Former world record holder, Billy Olson def. needs to be added to the list!! His PR was 19'6 in the early 80's!!

[skycock]

Former world record holder, Billy Olson def. needs to be added to the list!! His PR was 19'6 in the early 80's!!

He is one of my top 5 personal favorites

[lonestar]

Former world record holder, Billy Olson def. needs to be added to the list!! His PR was 19'6 in the early 80's!!

Not to take anything away from Billy, but...

I believe his pr was 19'5 set indoors in Albequerque in the mid to late '80's, the American Indoor record which stood for a long time.

Billy was amazing though - his tremendous speed really made up for that incredibly flat takeoff, and he always found a pretty good lineup on the pole. (Much like Bobby Most of Texas Tech) 2nd ever over 5.80 and the first indoors. His, Thierry Vigneron's, and Bubka's world record trading in the mid-80's was an exciting time in the sport.

[Robvaulter]

it's really ashame that so many steel pole athletes were lost in transition to fiberglass. My coach won NCAAs in 1958 and he was sayin that Don Bragg couldn't even wear t-shirts cause his arms were so big.

[Soar Like an Eagle]

Former world record holder, Billy Olson def. needs to be added to the list!! His PR was 19'6 in the early 80's!!

Not to take anything away from Billy, but...

I believe his pr was 19'5 set indoors in Albequerque in the mid to late '80's, the American Indoor record which stood for a long time.

Billy was amazing though - his tremendous speed really made up for that incredibly flat takeoff, and he always found a pretty good lineup on the pole. (Much like Bobby Most of Texas Tech) 2nd ever over 5.80 and the first indoors. His, Thierry Vigneron's, and Bubka's world record trading in the mid-80's was an exciting time in the sport.

I agree along with Joe Dial added into the mix. This was when track and field was shown on the major networks.

[Soar Like an Eagle]

Somebody posted this on the Track and Field News Message Board:

http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/tfn/discussion/viewThread.jsp?forum=1&thread=2569

Top ten all-time pole vaulters:

1. Sergey Bubka
2. Bob Richards
3. Dutch Warmerdam
4. Bob Seagren
5. John Pennel
6. Don Bragg
7. Maksim Tarasov
8. Rodion Gataullin
9. Wladyslaw Kozakiewicz
10. Thierry Vigneron

How would each of y'alls Top Ten list be different? I think it would be easier to separate the lists into pre-fiberglass, and fiberglass/carbon era, of course, then it wouldn't be an "all-time" list. I would definitely want Hartwig and EB on there, maybe in place of Gataullin (although he was great too) and/or Kozakiewicz. Kjell Isakksson (sp) would be on my list too.

I guess the hard part is criteria though, do you base it on records achieved, Olympic or World Championship medals earned, technique, longevity in the sport, or simply height? Probably a combination of each.

Let's see y'alls lists!

Do not forget about Steve Smith first man over 18 feet indoors and 18’5" in pro track and was the best pole vaulter in the world from 1973-1975 but because he was in pro track I do not think he reached his full potential at the time. In 1972 he made 18'0" gripping 14'10'".

[achtungpv]

Do not forget about Steve Smith first man over 18 feet indoors and 18’5" in pro track and was the best pole vaulter in the world from 1973-1975 but because he was in pro track I do not think he reached his full potential at the time. In 1972 he made 18'0" gripping 14'10'".

If I'm not mistaken, he also jumped 17' off of a skateboard. There was a pic of it in one edition of the Mechanics of the Pole Vault.

[ashcraftpv]

it's really ashame that so many steel pole athletes were lost in transition to fiberglass. My coach won NCAAs in 1958 and he was sayin that Don Bragg couldn't even wear t-shirts cause his arms were so big.

ah...good ol' Jim Johnston Sr. I could listen to that man tell stories for hours. Tell him (and Jim Jr) I said hi next time you see him.