| | Event type
Pole Vault, Men
| Date | 14 – 16 October 1968 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Ciudad de México |
| Participants | 23 from 15 countries |
As in 1964 the competition came down to an American and several Germans. The American favorites were Bob Seagren and John Pennel, with Seagren considered the better. Both had set multiple world records. Six jumpers were still alive after 5.30 (17-4½) – Seagren, Pennel, Klaus Schiprowski (FRG), Wolfgang Nordwig (GDR), Khristos Papanikolaou (GRE), and Gennady Bliznetsov (URS). Bliznetsov missed at 5.35 (17-6½), and Seagren passed at that height. His pass was considered unusual and he later commented that it was his unfamiliarity with the metric system, as he did not realize that 5.35 was 17-6½, which was still a big height in that era. At 5.40 (17-8½), Pennel cleared on his second effort but his pole passed under the uprights, which was illegal in that era (the rule was changed the next year), and he would settle for 5.35 (17-6½) and fifth place. Seagren, Schiprowski and Nordwig all cleared 5.40 (17-8½), Seagren and Schiprowski on the second effort, Nordwig missing twice. When all three missed at 5.45 (17-10½), that gave Seagren the gold medal over Schiprowski based on fewer overall misses, with Nordwig getting bronze because of his three misses at 5.40 (17-8½).
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Qualifying | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 302 | Bob Seagren |  USA | 4.90 (13) | 5.40 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 45 | Claus Schiprowski |  FRG | 4.90 (=3) | 5.40 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 80 | Wolfgang Nordwig |  GDR | 4.90 (=1) | 5.40 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 439 | Christos Papanikolaou |  GRE | 4.90 (=3) | 5.35 (4) | |||
| 5 | 296 | John Pennel | USA | 4.90 (=1) | 5.35 (5) | |||
| 6 | 797 | Gennady Bliznetsov |  URS | 4.90 (=3) | 5.30 (6) | |||
| 7 | 354 | Hervé d'Encausse |  FRA | 4.90 (=3) | 5.25 (7) | |||
| 8 | 10 | Heinfried Engel | FRG | 4.90 (15) | 5.20 (8) | |||
| 9 | 252 | Ignacio Sola |  ESP | 4.90 (=9) | 5.20 (9) | |||
| 10 | 732 | Kjell Isaksson |  SWE | 4.90 (14) | 5.15 (10) | |||
| 11 | 549 | Kiyoshi Niwa |  JPN | 4.90 (=9) | 5.15 (11) | |||
| 12 | 815 | Aleksandr Malyutin | URS | 4.90 (12) | 5.00 (12) | |||
| 13 | 392 | Mike Bull |  GBR | 4.90 (=9) | 5.00 (13) | |||
| 14 | 334 | Altti Alarotu |  FIN | 4.90 (=3) | 5.00 (14) | |||
| AC r2/2 | 337 | Erkki Mustakari | FIN | 4.90 (=3) | – ( | |||
| 16 r1/2 | 438 | Pantelis Nikolaidis | GRE | 4.80 (16) | – | |||
| 17 r1/2 | 96 | Érico Barney |  ARG | 4.80 (17) | – | |||
| 18 r1/2 | 27 | Klaus Lehnertz | FRG | 4.75 (18) | – | |||
| 19 r1/2 | 724 | John-Erik Blomqvist | SWE | 4.75 (19) | – | |||
| 20 r1/2 | 261 | Casey Carrigan | USA | 4.60 (20) | – | |||
| 21 r1/2 | 767 | Wu Ah-Min |  TPE | 4.50 (21) | – | |||
| 22 r1/2 | 759 | Heinz Wyss |  SUI | 4.50 (22) | – | |||
| AC r1/2 | 121 | Ingo Peyker |  AUT | – ( | – | |||
| 519 | Aldo Righi |  ITA | – ( | – | ||||
| 232 | Steen Smidt-Jensen |  DEN | – ( | – | ||||
| 504 | Renato Dionisi | ITA | – ( | – | ||||
| 582 | Dominique Rakotorahalahy |  MAD | – ( | – |
Qualifying Round
| Date | 14 October 1968 — 10:00 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top 12 and ties and all those clearing 4.90 metres advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Competitor | NOC | Best Height Cleared | Misses at Best Height Cleared | Total Misses thru Best Height Cleared | Total Attempts thru Best Height Cleared | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| =1 | Wolfgang Nordwig | GDR | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| =1 | John Pennel | USA | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| =3 | Altti Alarotu | FIN | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| =3 | Erkki Mustakari | FIN | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| =3 | Hervé d'Encausse | FRA | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| =3 | Claus Schiprowski | FRG | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| =3 | Christos Papanikolaou | GRE | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| =3 | Gennady Bliznetsov | URS | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| =9 | Ignacio Sola | ESP | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| =9 | Mike Bull | GBR | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| =9 | Kiyoshi Niwa | JPN | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| 12 | Aleksandr Malyutin | URS | 4.90 | 0 | 4 | 9 | ||
| 13 | Bob Seagren | USA | 4.90 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 14 | Kjell Isaksson | SWE | 4.90 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||
| 15 | Heinfried Engel | FRG | 4.90 | 2 | 2 | 5 | ||
| 16 | Pantelis Nikolaidis | GRE | 4.80 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| 17 | Érico Barney | ARG | 4.80 | 0 | 3 | 9 | ||
| 18 | Klaus Lehnertz | FRG | 4.75 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| 19 | John-Erik Blomqvist | SWE | 4.75 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 20 | Casey Carrigan | USA | 4.60 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 21 | Wu Ah-Min | TPE | 4.50 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| 22 | Heinz Wyss | SUI | 4.50 | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||
| Ingo Peyker | AUT | – | – | – | – | |||
| Renato Dionisi | ITA | – | – | – | – | |||
| Aldo Righi | ITA | – | – | – | – | |||
| Steen Smidt-Jensen | DEN | – | – | – | – | |||
| Dominique Rakotorahalahy | MAD | – | – | – | – |
Group A
| Date | 14 October 1968 |
|---|
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Best Height Cleared | Misses at Best Height Cleared | Total Misses thru Best Height Cleared | Total Attempts thru Best Height Cleared | Attempts at 4.20 m | Attempts at 4.30 m | Attempts at 4.40 m | Attempts at 4.50 m | Attempts at 4.60 m | Attempts at 4.70 m | Attempts at 4.75 m | Attempts at 4.80 m | Attempts at 4.85 m | Attempts at 4.90 m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| =1 | 80 | Wolfgang Nordwig | GDR | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | o | ||
| =1 | 296 | John Pennel | USA | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | o | ||
| =3 | 334 | Altti Alarotu | FIN | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | - | o | ||
| =3 | 337 | Erkki Mustakari | FIN | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | - | - | o | ||
| =3 | 354 | Hervé d'Encausse | FRA | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | o | - | o | ||
| =3 | 45 | Claus Schiprowski | FRG | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | o | - | o | ||
| =3 | 439 | Christos Papanikolaou | GRE | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | o | - | o | ||
| =3 | 797 | Gennady Bliznetsov | URS | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | - | - | o | ||
| 9 | 302 | Bob Seagren | USA | 4.90 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | xo | ||
| 10 | 732 | Kjell Isaksson | SWE | 4.90 | 1 | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | - | xo | ||
| 11 | 10 | Heinfried Engel | FRG | 4.90 | 2 | 2 | 5 | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | o | - | xxo | ||
| 12 | 261 | Casey Carrigan | USA | 4.60 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | - | - | xxx | ||
| 504 | Renato Dionisi | ITA | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Group B
| Date | 14 October 1968 |
|---|
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Best Height Cleared | Misses at Best Height Cleared | Total Misses thru Best Height Cleared | Total Attempts thru Best Height Cleared | Attempts at 4.20 m | Attempts at 4.30 m | Attempts at 4.40 m | Attempts at 4.50 m | Attempts at 4.60 m | Attempts at 4.70 m | Attempts at 4.75 m | Attempts at 4.80 m | Attempts at 4.85 m | Attempts at 4.90 m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| =1 | 252 | Ignacio Sola | ESP | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 3 | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | o | - | o | ||
| =1 | 392 | Mike Bull | GBR | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 3 | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | o | - | o | ||
| =1 | 549 | Kiyoshi Niwa | JPN | 4.90 | 0 | 0 | 3 | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | o | - | o | ||
| 4 | 815 | Aleksandr Malyutin | URS | 4.90 | 0 | 4 | 9 | - | - | xxo | o | - | o | - | xxo | - | o | ||
| 5 | 438 | Pantelis Nikolaidis | GRE | 4.80 | 0 | 0 | 3 | - | - | o | - | o | - | - | o | - | xxx | ||
| 6 | 96 | Érico Barney | ARG | 4.80 | 0 | 3 | 9 | o | o | - | xo | o | xxo | - | o | - | xxx | ||
| 7 | 27 | Klaus Lehnertz | FRG | 4.75 | 0 | 0 | 3 | - | - | o | - | o | - | o | - | xxx | – | ||
| 8 | 724 | John-Erik Blomqvist | SWE | 4.75 | 2 | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | - | o | - | xxo | - | - | xxx | ||
| 9 | 767 | Wu Ah-Min | TPE | 4.50 | 0 | 0 | 3 | o | o | - | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 10 | 759 | Heinz Wyss | SUI | 4.50 | 0 | 1 | 3 | - | xo | - | o | - | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 121 | Ingo Peyker | AUT | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 519 | Aldo Righi | ITA | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 232 | Steen Smidt-Jensen | DEN | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 582 | Dominique Rakotorahalahy | MAD | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Final Round
| Date | 16 October 1968 — 12:30 |
|---|
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Best Height Cleared | Misses at Best Height Cleared | Total Misses thru Best Height Cleared | Total Attempts thru Best Height Cleared | Attempts at 4.60 m | Attempts at 4.80 m | Attempts at 4.90 m | Attempts at 5.00 m | Attempts at 5.05 m | Attempts at 5.10 m | Attempts at 5.15 m | Attempts at 5.20 m | Attempts at 5.25 m | Attempts at 5.30 m | Attempts at 5.35 m | Attempts at 5.40 m | Attempts at 5.45 m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 302 | Bob Seagren | USA | 5.40 | 1 | 2 | 6 | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | xo | - | o | - | xo | xxx | ||
| 2 | 45 | Claus Schiprowski | FRG | 5.40 | 1 | 3 | 11 | - | - | o | o | - | o | - | o | xo | o | xo | xo | xxx | ||
| 3 | 80 | Wolfgang Nordwig | GDR | 5.40 | 2 | 3 | 8 | - | - | - | xo | - | - | - | o | - | o | o | xxo | xxx | ||
| 4 | 439 | Christos Papanikolaou | GRE | 5.35 | 0 | 2 | 8 | - | o | - | o | - | - | o | - | xo | xo | o | xxx | – | ||
| 5 | 296 | John Pennel | USA | 5.35 | 2 | 4 | 8 | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | xo | - | xo | xxo | xxx | – | ||
| 6 | 797 | Gennady Bliznetsov | URS | 5.30 | 1 | 1 | 6 | o | - | o | - | - | o | - | o | - | xo | xxx | – | – | ||
| 7 | 354 | Hervé d'Encausse | FRA | 5.25 | 0 | 1 | 4 | - | - | - | o | - | - | xo | - | o | - | xxx | – | – | ||
| 8 | 10 | Heinfried Engel | FRG | 5.20 | 0 | 3 | 7 | - | o | - | xxo | - | xo | - | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | ||
| 9 | 252 | Ignacio Sola | ESP | 5.20 | 2 | 4 | 9 | - | xo | - | o | - | xo | o | xxo | xxx | – | – | – | – | ||
| 10 | 732 | Kjell Isaksson | SWE | 5.15 | 0 | 1 | 4 | - | - | o | - | xo | - | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 11 | 549 | Kiyoshi Niwa | JPN | 5.15 | 1 | 1 | 6 | - | o | o | o | - | o | xo | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 12 | 815 | Aleksandr Malyutin | URS | 5.00 | 0 | 0 | 3 | o | - | o | o | - | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 13 | 392 | Mike Bull | GBR | 5.00 | 1 | 2 | 5 | - | xo | o | xo | - | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 14 | 334 | Altti Alarotu | FIN | 5.00 | 2 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | xxo | - | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 337 | Erkki Mustakari | FIN | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |