Roger Ruth
Sun, 15 Feb 2004 14:04:12 -0800
Yelena Isinbayeva's win in Donetsk, today, at 4.83 meters (15'10") is not only an all-time best height indoors, but upon ratification will become THE world record, succeeding her 4.82m set outdoors at Gatehead last July.
Since January 1, 2001, outdoor bests are considered to be a world record only if better than the current indoor world record. It may be only a temporary lag in development of terminology, but as of now, I understand it to be possible to set a World Indoor Record that is inferior to a World Record set outdoors, but not a World Outdoor Record that is inferior to a World Record set indoors. Clear? As mud. In any event, Isinbayeva's world-best-ever leaves no problem with terminology. With that 2001 redefinition of "World Record," this is what I understand to be the progression of the women's vault, to date. We have included imperial heights only where those are believed to be the original measurements. WOMEN'S POLE VAULT RECORD PROGRESSION (Gerard Dumas/Roger Ruth) 1.72 5'7 3/4" Ruth Spencer (USA) 1911-05-15 Painesville 1.77 5'9 3/4" Hazel Hutaff (USA) 1915-04-03 Rock Hill 2.13 7'0" Mildred Carl (USA) 1915-06-06 New Haven 2.18 7'2" Mildred Carl (USA) 1915-06-06 New Haven 2.21 7'3" Mildred Carl (USA) 1919-06-03 New Haven 2.35 Helene Henneke (GER) 1921-07-17 Nürnberg 2.35 Yelena Goldobina (USSR) 1924-09-07 Moskva 2.53 Zoya Romanova (USSR) 1935-08-26 Moskva 2.59 8'6" Diane Bragg (USA) 1952-07-06 Philadelphia 2.59 8'6" Brenda Walker (NZL) 1969-01-08 Wairoa 2.61 8'7" Jana Edwards (USA) 1981- Cleveland 3.05 10'0" Jana Edwards (USA) 1983-06- 3.20 10'6" Jana Edwards (USA) 1983-06-11 Chicago 3.22 10'7" Jana Edwards (USA) 1983-06-18 Cleveland 3.37 11'1" Jana Edwards (USA) 1983-06-18 Cleveland 3.50 11'6" Jana Edwards (USA) 1983-07-23 Fort Wayne 3.59 11'9 1/2" Jana Edwards (USA) 1983-07-23 Fort Wayne 3.72 Zhang Chunzhen (CHN) 1988-04-20 Guangzhou 3.73 Shao Jingmen (CHN) 1988-05-04 Guangzhou 3.75 Zhang Chunzhen (CHN) 1988-06-10 Nanjing 3.76 Zhou Minxin (CHN) 1989-04-22 Fuzhou 3.80 Zhang Chunzhen (CHN) 1989-09-09 Guangzhou 3.81 Zhang Chunzhen (CHN) 1990-03-24 Guangzhou 3.83 Sun Caiyun (CHN) 1991-03-24 Guangzhou 3.83 Zhang Chunzhen (CHN) 1991-03-24 Guangzhou 4.00 Zhang Chunzhen (CHN) 1991-03-24 Guangzhou 4.02 Zhang Chunzhen (CHN) 1991-06-05 Beijing 4.05 Zhang Chunzhen (CHN) 1991-08-10 Guangzhou 4.05* Sun Caiyun (CHN) 1992-05-21 Nanjing 4.11 Sun Caiyun (CHN) 1993-03-21 Guangzhou 4.12 Sun Caiyun (CHN) 1994-10-22 Guangzhou 4.12 Sun Caiyun (CHN) 1994-11-24 Guangzhou 4.06* Sun Caiyun (CHN) 1995-03-25 Guangzhou 4.08* Zhong Guiquing (CHN) 1995-05-18 Taiyuan 4.08* Sun Caiyun (CHN) 1995-05-18 Taiyuan 4.12* Daniela Bártová (CZE) 1995-06-18 Duisburg 4.13* Daniela Bártová (CZE) 1995-06-24 Wesel 4.14* Daniela Bártová (CZE) 1995-07-02 Gateshead 4.15* Daniela Bártová (CZE) 1995-07-05 Ostrava 4.16* Daniela Bártová (CZE) 1995-07-14 Feldkirch 4.17* Daniela Bártová (CZE) 1995-07-15 Gisingen 4.18 Daniela Bártová (CZE) 1995-07-22 Salzburg 4.18* Andrea Müller (GER) 1995-08-05 Zweibrücken 4.20* Daniela Bártová (CZE) 1995-08-18 Köln 4.21* Daniela Bártová (CZE) 1995-08-22 Linz 4.22* Daniela Bártová (CZE) 1995-09-11 Salgotarjan 4.23* Sun Caiyun (CHN) 1995-11-05 Shenzhen 4.25* Emma George (AUS) 1995-11-30 Melbourne 4.28* Emma George (AUS) 1995-12-17 Perth 4.30* Emma George (AUS) 1996-01-28 Perth 4.41* Emma George (AUS) 1996-01-28 Perth 4.42* Emma George (AUS) 1996-06-29 Reims 4.45* Emma George (AUS) 1996-07-14 Sapporo 4.50* Emma George (AUS) 1997-02-08 Melbourne 4.55* Emma George (AUS) 1997-02-20 Melbourne 4.57* Emma George (AUS) 1998-02-21 Auckland 4.58* Emma George (AUS) 1998-03-14 Melbourne 4.59* Emma George (AUS) 1998-03-21 Brisbane 4.60* Emma George (AUS) 1999-02-20 Sydney 4.60* Stacy Dragila (USA) 1999-08-21 Sevilla 4.62i* Stacy Dragila (USA) 2000-03-03 Atlanta 4.63* Stacy Dragila (USA) 2000-07-23 Sacramento 4.63i* Stacy Dragila (USA) 2001-02-02 New York 4.64i* Svetlana Feofanova (RUS) 2001-02-11 Dortmund 4.66i* Stacy Dragila (USA) 2001-02-17 Pocatello 4.70i* Stacy Dragila (USA) 2001-02-17 Pocatello 4.70* Stacy Dragila (USA) 2001-04-27 Pocatello 4.71* Stacy Dragila (USA) 2001-06-09 Palo Alto 4.81* Stacy Dragila (USA) 2001-06-09 Palo Alto 4.82* Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) 2003-07-13 Gateshead 4.83i Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) 2004-02-15 Donetsk * - IAAF-ratified World Records