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.
Pre-IAAF
edit| Mark | Athlete | Nat. | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.35 m (10 ft 11+3⁄4 in) | Hugh Baxter |  USA |
9.02.1889 | New York City |
| 3.395 m (11 ft 1+1⁄2 in) | Jerome Magee |  USA |
1.03.1902 | Milwaukee |
| 3.44 m (11 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | LeRoy Samse | USA |
11.03.1905 | Milwaukee |
| 3.49 m (11 ft 5+1⁄4 in) | LeRoy Samse | USA |
22.01.1906 | Cincinnati |
| 3.535 m (11 ft 7 in) | Walter Dray | USA |
26.01.1906 | New York City |
| 3.54 m (11 ft 7+1⁄4 in) | Sidney Grear | USA |
13.03.1907 | Chicago |
| 3.66 m (12 ft 0 in) | Clare Jacobs |  USA |
12.02.1909 | Chicago |
| 3.73 m (12 ft 2+3⁄4 in) | Clare Jacobs | USA |
23.02.1909 | Chicago |
| 3.79 m (12 ft 5 in) | Walter Dray | USA |
06.04.1912 | Chicago |
| 3.86 m (12 ft 7+3⁄4 in) | John Kendall Gold |  USA |
29.03.1913 | Chicago |
| 3.87 m (12 ft 8+1⁄4 in) | Florin W. Floyd | USA |
27.02.1916 | Kansas City |
| 3.92 m (12 ft 10+1⁄4 in) | Percy Graham | USA |
08.04.1916 | Evanston, United States |
| 3.93 m (12 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | Edwin Myers | USA |
30.03.1923 | Evanston, United States |
| 3.93 m (12 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | Edward Knourek | USA |
30.03.1923 | Evanston, United States |
| 3.98 m (13 ft 1⁄2 in) | Dean Brownell | USA |
15.03.1924 | Evanston, United States |
| 3.985 m (13 ft 3⁄4 in) | Charles Hoff |  NOR |
04.02.1926 | New York City |
| 4.00 m (13 ft 1+1⁄4 in) | Charles Hoff | NOR |
06.02.1926 | Boston |
| 4.04 m (13 ft 3 in) | Charles Hoff | NOR |
13.02.1926 | New York City |
| 4.06 m (13 ft 3+3⁄4 in) | Charles Hoff | NOR |
17.02.1926 | New York City |
| 4.075 m (13 ft 4+1⁄4 in) | Charles Hoff | NOR |
23.02.1926 | New York City |
| 4.09 m (13 ft 5 in) | Charles Hoff | NOR |
27.02.1926 | Baltimore |
| 4.13 m (13 ft 6+1⁄2 in) | Charles Hoff | NOR |
06.03.1926 | Chicago |
| 4.14 m (13 ft 6+3⁄4 in) | Charles Hoff | NOR |
16.03.1926 | New York City |
| 4.15 m (13 ft 7+1⁄4 in) | Charles Hoff | NOR |
20.03.1926 | New York City |
| 4.165 m (13 ft 7+3⁄4 in) | Charles Hoff | NOR |
27.03.1926 | St. Louis |
| 4.17 m (13 ft 8 in) | Charles Hoff | NOR |
09.04.1926 | Chicago |
| 4.195 m (13 ft 9 in) | Sabin Carr | USA |
14.02.1927 | New York City |
| 4.29 m (14 ft 3⁄4 in) | Sabin Carr | USA |
25.02.1928 | New York City |
| 4.31 m (14 ft 1+1⁄2 in) | Keith Brown | USA |
15.03.1933 | New York City |
| 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) | Keith Brown | USA |
17.02.1934 | New York City |
| 4.38 m (14 ft 4+1⁄4 in) | George Varoff | USA |
13.02.1937 | Boston |
| 4.42 m (14 ft 6 in) | Cornelius Warmerdam | USA |
11.02.1939 | Boston |
| 4.425 m (14 ft 6 in) | Earle Meadows | USA |
25.03.1939 | Chicago |
| 4.44 m (14 ft 6+3⁄4 in) | Earle Meadows | USA |
08.02.1941 | Boston |
| 4.45 m (14 ft 7 in) | Earle Meadows | USA |
08.03.1941 | New York City |
| 4.485 m (14 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | Cornelius Warmerdam | USA |
07.02.1942 | New York City |
| 4.58 m (15 ft 1⁄4 in) | Cornelius Warmerdam | USA |
07.02.1942 | New York City |
| 4.62 m (15 ft 1+3⁄4 in) | Cornelius Warmerdam | USA |
14.02.1942 | Boston |
| 4.755 m (15 ft 7 in) | Cornelius Warmerdam | USA |
14.02.1942 | Boston |
| 4.79 m (15 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | Cornelius Warmerdam | USA |
20.03.1943 | Chicago |
| 4.81 m (15 ft 9+1⁄4 in) | Don Bragg | USA |
13.02.1959 | Philadelphia |
| 4.83 m (15 ft 10 in) | John Uelses |  USA |
27.01.1962 | Washington, DC |
| 4.88 m (16 ft 0 in) | John Uelses | USA |
02.02.1962 | New York City |
| 4.89 m (16 ft 1⁄2 in) | John Uelses | USA |
03.02.1962 | Boston |
| 4.91 m (16 ft 1+1⁄4 in) | Don Meyers | USA |
20.12.1962 | Chicago |
| 4.92 m (16 ft 1+1⁄2 in) | Pentti Nikula |  FIN |
19.01.1963 | Nastola |
| 4.93 m (16 ft 2 in) | David Tork | USA |
25.01.1963 | Toronto |
| 4.96 m (16 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | Yang Chuan-Kwang |  TWN |
26.01.1963 | Portland |
| 5.00 m (16 ft 4+3⁄4 in) | Pentti Nikula | FIN |
02.02.1963 | Nastola |
| 5.05 m (16 ft 6+3⁄4 in) | Pentti Nikula | FIN |
02.02.1963 | Nastola |
| 5.10 m (16 ft 8+3⁄4 in) | Pentti Nikula | FIN |
02.02.1963 | Nastola |
World record progression (since 1966)
edit| Ratified | |
| Not ratified | |
| Ratified but later rescinded | |
| Pending ratification |
| Mark | Athlete | Nat. | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IAAF ratified bests (1966–1986) | ||||
| 5.12 m (16 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | John Pennel | USA |
22.01.1966 | Los Angeles |
| 5.13 m (16 ft 9+3⁄4 in) | John Pennel | USA |
12.02.1966 | Los Angeles |
| 5.19 m (17 ft 1⁄4 in) A | Robert Seagren | USA |
05.03.1966 | Albuquerque |
| 5.20 m (17 ft 1⁄2 in) | Robert Seagren | USA |
18.03.1966 | Cleveland |
| 5.20 m (17 ft 1⁄2 in) | Robert Seagren | USA |
29.12.1966 | Saskatoon |
| 5.23 m (17 ft 1+3⁄4 in) A | Robert Seagren | USA |
28.01.1967 | Albuquerque |
| 5.26 m (17 ft 3 in) | Robert Seagren | USA |
18.02.1967 | Cleveland |
| 5.29 m (17 ft 4+1⁄4 in) | Robert Seagren | USA |
25.01.1968 | New York City |
| 5.33 m (17 ft 5+3⁄4 in) A | Robert Seagren | USA |
25.01.1969 | Albuquerque |
| 5.33 m (17 ft 5+3⁄4 in) | Robert Seagren | USA |
08.02.1969 | Inglewood |
| 5.34 m (17 ft 6 in) | Kjell Isaksson |  SWE |
08.03.1970 | Göteborg |
| 5.36 m (17 ft 7 in) | Jan Johnson | USA |
20.06.1970 | Des Moines |
| 5.38 m (17 ft 7+3⁄4 in) | Kjell Isaksson | SWE |
12.02.1971 | Inglewood |
| 5.40 m (17 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | Wolfgang Nordwig |  GDR |
14.03.1971 | Sofia |
| 5.41 m (17 ft 8+3⁄4 in) | Kjell Isaksson | SWE |
19.03.1971 | Cleveland |
| 5.45 m (17 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | Kjell Isaksson | SWE |
25.02.1972 | New York City |
| 5.46 m (17 ft 10+3⁄4 in) | Steve Smith | USA |
20.01.1973 | Los Angeles |
| 5.49 m (18 ft 0 in) | Steve Smith | USA |
26.01.1973 | New York City |
| 5.51 m (18 ft 3⁄4 in) | Dan Ripley | USA |
18.01.1975 | Los Angeles |
| 5.52 m (18 ft 1+1⁄4 in) | Dan Ripley | USA |
09.01.1976 | College Park |
| 5.54 m (18 ft 2 in) | Dan Ripley | USA |
06.02.1976 | Inglewood |
| 5.56 m (18 ft 2+3⁄4 in) | Tadeusz Ślusarski |  POL |
08.02.1976 | Warsaw |
| 5.57 m (18 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | Władysław Kozakiewicz | POL |
13.02.1976 | Toronto |
| 5.58 m (18 ft 3+1⁄2 in) | Dan Ripley | USA |
20.02.1976 | New York City |
| 5.59 m (18 ft 4 in) | Mike Tully | USA |
07.01.1978 | Long Beach, California |
| 5.62 m (18 ft 5+1⁄4 in) | Mike Tully | USA |
11.03.1978 | Detroit |
| 5.63 m (18 ft 5+1⁄2 in) | Dan Ripley | USA |
03.03.1979 | Fort Worth |
| 5.64 m (18 ft 6 in) | Konstantin Volkov |  URS |
09.02.1980 | Moscow |
| 5.70 m (18 ft 8+1⁄4 in) | Konstantin Volkov | URS |
06.07.1980 | Moscow |
| 5.70 m (18 ft 8+1⁄4 in) | Thierry Vigneron |  FRA |
18.01.1981 | Lyon |
| 5.70 m (18 ft 8+1⁄4 in) | Thierry Vigneron | FRA |
22.02.1981 | Grenoble |
| 5.71 m (18 ft 8+3⁄4 in) | Billy Olson | USA |
29.01.1982 | Toronto |
| 5.72 m (18 ft 9 in) | Billy Olson | USA |
06.02.1982 | Louisville |
| 5.73 m (18 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | Billy Olson | USA |
19.02.1982 | San Diego |
| 5.74 m (18 ft 9+3⁄4 in) | Billy Olson | USA |
27.02.1982 | Kansas City |
| 5.75 m (18 ft 10+1⁄4 in) | Billy Olson | USA |
14.01.1983 | Ottawa |
| 5.76 m (18 ft 10+3⁄4 in) | Billy Olson | USA |
21.01.1983 | Inglewood |
| 5.80 m (19 ft 1⁄4 in) | Billy Olson | USA |
04.02.1983 | Toronto |
| 5.81 m (19 ft 1⁄2 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
15.01.1984 | Vilnius |
| 5.82 m (19 ft 1 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
01.02.1984 | Milan |
| 5.83 m (19 ft 1+1⁄2 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
10.02.1984 | Inglewood |
| 5.85 m (19 ft 2+1⁄4 in) | Thierry Vigneron | FRA |
04.03.1984 | Göteborg |
| 5.86 m (19 ft 2+1⁄2 in) | Billy Olson | USA |
28.12.1985 | Saskatoon |
| 5.87 m (19 ft 3 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
15.01.1986 | Osaka |
| 5.88 m (19 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | Billy Olson | USA |
17.01.1986 | Inglewood |
| 5.89 m (19 ft 3+3⁄4 in) A | Billy Olson | USA |
25.01.1986 | Albuquerque |
| 5.91 m (19 ft 4+1⁄2 in) | Joe Dial | USA |
01.02.1986 | Columbia |
| 5.92 m (19 ft 5 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
08.02.1986 | Moscow |
| 5.93 m (19 ft 5+1⁄4 in) | Billy Olson | USA |
08.02.1986 | East Rutherford |
| 5.94 m (19 ft 5+3⁄4 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
21.02.1986 | Inglewood |
| 5.95 m (19 ft 6+1⁄4 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
28.02.1986 | New York City |
| 5.96 m (19 ft 6+1⁄2 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
15.01.1987 | Osaka |
| IAAF ratified records (since 1987) | ||||
| 5.97 m (19 ft 7 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
17.03.1987 | Torino |
| 6.00 m (19 ft 8 in) | Rodion Gataulin | URS |
22.01.1989 | Leningrad |
| 6.02 m (19 ft 9 in) | Rodion Gataulin | URS |
04.02.1989 | Gomel |
| 6.03 m (19 ft 9+1⁄4 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
11.02.1989 | Osaka |
| 6.05 m (19 ft 10 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
17.03.1990 | Donetsk |
| 6.08 m (19 ft 11+1⁄4 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
09.02.1991 | Volgograd |
| 6.10 m (20 ft 0 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
15.03.1991 | San Sebastián |
| 6.11 m (20 ft 1⁄2 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
19.03.1991 | Donetsk |
| 6.12 m (20 ft 3⁄4 in) | Sergey Bubka | URS |
23.03.1991 | Grenoble |
| 6.13 m (20 ft 1+1⁄4 in) | Sergey Bubka |  UKR |
22.02.1992 | Berlin |
| 6.14 m (20 ft 1+1⁄2 in) | Sergey Bubka | UKR |
13.02.1993 | Lievin |
| 6.15 m (20 ft 2 in) | Sergey Bubka | UKR |
21.02.1993 | Donetsk |
| 6.16 m (20 ft 2+1⁄2 in) | Renaud Lavillenie | FRA |
15.02.2014 | Donetsk |
| 6.17 m (20 ft 2+3⁄4 in) | Armand Duplantis | SWE |
08.02.2020 | Toruń |
| 6.18 m (20 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | Armand Duplantis | SWE |
15.02.2020 | Glasgow |
| 6.19 m (20 ft 3+1⁄2 in) | Armand Duplantis | SWE |
07.03.2022 | Belgrade |
| 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) | Armand Duplantis | SWE |
20.03.2022 | Belgrade |
| 6.22 m (20 ft 4+3⁄4 in) | Armand Duplantis | SWE |
25.02.2023 | Clermont-Ferrand |
Other marks of note
editDemonstration
edit| Mark | Athlete | Nat. | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.01 m (13 ft 1+3⁄4 in) | Charles Hoff | NOR |
11.02.1926 | Brooklyn |
| 5.28 m (17 ft 3+3⁄4 in) | Bob Seagren | USA |
22.12.1966 | Mobile |
| 5.86 m (19 ft 2+1⁄2 in) | Larry Jessee | USA |
16.10.1985 | Newcastle, Australia |
Unsanctioned meeting
edit| Mark | Athlete | Nat. | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.32 m (17 ft 5+1⁄4 in) | Herve D'Encausse | FRA |
30.03.1967 | Paris |
Dubious professional records
edit| Mark | Athlete | Nat. | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.43 m (11 ft 3 in) | Robert Musgrave |  GBR |
16.03.1864 | Islington |
| 3.50 m (11 ft 5+3⁄4 in) | Robert Musgrave | GBR |
26.03.1869 | Islington |
Professional
edit| Mark | Athlete | Nat. | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.35 m (10 ft 11+3⁄4 in) | John Allison | GBR |
19.04.1867 | Islington |
| 3.35 m (10 ft 11+3⁄4 in) | Robert Musgrave | GBR |
19.04.1867 | Islington |
| 5.51 m (18 ft 3⁄4 in) A | Steve Smith | USA |
22.02.1974 | Salt Lake City |
| 5.53 m (18 ft 1+1⁄2 in) A | Steve Smith | USA |
23.02.1974 | Pocatello |
| 5.55 m (18 ft 2+1⁄2 in) | Steve Smith | USA |
17.01.1975 | Montreal |
| 5.59 m (18 ft 4 in) | Steve Smith | USA |
11.04.1975 | Portland |
| 5.61 m (18 ft 4+3⁄4 in) | Steve Smith | USA |
28.05.1975 | New York City |
References
edit- ^ "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.