| | Event type

Pole Vault, Women

Date	16 – 18 August 2008
Status	Olympic
Location	Beijing Guojia Tiyuchang, Beijing Aolinpike Gongyuan, Beijing
Participants	36 from 24 countries

Yelena Isinbayeva was an overwhelming favorite in the women’s pole vault and she did not disappoint. The Russian defending champion and 2005 and 2007 World Champion had also set the last 11 world records, starting in 2004, with her last two coming earlier in 2008. American Jenn Stuczynski was the second choice but Isinbayeva would likely have to no height for her to win. Stuczynski did not think so, stating after the Olympics Trials, “I hope we do some damage and, you know, kick some Russian butt.” Isi heard the comment and it only served to rev her up. Isinbayeva opened with a first-vault clearance at 4.70 (15-5). Stuczynski led after clearing 4.80 (15-9), and was the only other vaulter left, as Is passed to 4.85 (15-11). The two then played a game of cat-and-mouse passing, as Stuczynski passed that height. She jumped at 4.90 (16-0¾), at which the Russian passed, but went out after three misses. Isinbayeva now had the gold medal but she was not done. She cleared 4.95 (16-2¾) on her third try and then had the bar moved to the world record height of 5.05 (16-6¾). She needed three attempts but got over the bar for her 12th outdoor world record.

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Qualifying Round	Final Round
1	2784	Yelena Isinbayeva	RUS	4.60 (1)	5.05 (1)	Gold
2	3276	Jenn Stuczynski	USA	4.50 (=2)	4.80 (2)	Silver
3	2778	Svetlana Feofanova	RUS	4.50 (=6)	4.75 (3)	Bronze
4	2761	Yuliya Golubchikova	RUS	4.50 (=10)	4.75 (4)
5	2608	Monika Pyrek	POL	4.50 (=8)	4.70 (5)
6	1859	Carolin Hingst	GER	4.50 (=10)	4.65 (6)
7	1879	Silke Spiegelburg	GER	4.50 (12)	4.65 (7)
8	3237	April Steiner-Bennett	USA	4.50 (=6)	4.55 (8)
9	1724	Vanessa Boslak	FRA	4.50 (=2)	4.55 (9)
=10	1241	Fabiana Mürer	BRA	4.50 (=2)	4.45 (=10)
=10	2609	Anna Rogowska	POL	4.50 (=8)	4.45 (=10)
12	1386	Gao Shuying	CHN	4.50 (=2)	4.45 (12)
13 r1/2	1596	Naroa Agirre	ESP	4.40 (13)	–
14 r1/2	1905	Nastja Reiberger	GER	4.40 (14)	–
15 r1/2	1795	Kate Dennison	GBR	4.40 (15)	–
=16 r1/2	1073	Alana Boyd	AUS	4.30 (=16)	–
=16 r1/2	2411	Roslinda Samsu	MAS	4.30 (=16)	–
18 r1/2	1312	Kelsie Hendry	CAN	4.30 (18)	–
=19 r1/2	2632	Joanna Piwowarska	POL	4.30 (=19)	–
=19 r1/2	1944	Afroditi Skafida	GRE	4.30 (=19)	–
=19 r1/2	2671	Sandra Tavares	POR	4.30 (=19)	–
22 r1/2	2919	Nicole Büchler	SUI	4.30 (22)	–
=23 r1/2	1725	Marion Buisson	FRA	4.15 (=23)	–
=23 r1/2	2059	Þórey Edda Elísdóttir	ISL	4.15 (=23)	–
25 r1/2	1362	Zhou Yang	CHN	4.15 (25)	–
26 r1/2	2013	Krisztina Molnár	HUN	4.15 (26)	–
=27 r1/2	3129	Nataliya Kushch	UKR	4.15 (=27)	–
=27 r1/2	1945	Nikol Kyriakopoulou	GRE	4.15 (=27)	–
=27 r1/2	1361	Li Ling	CHN	4.15 (=27)	–
=27 r1/2	1454	Yarisley Silva	CUB	4.15 (=27)	–
31 r1/2	1033	Alejandra García	ARG	4.15 (31)	–
=32 r1/2	3031	Leila Ben Youssef	TUN	4.00 (=32)	–
=32 r1/2	1692	Vanessa Vandy	FIN	4.00 (=32)	–
34 r1/2	1503	Anna Foitidou	CYP	4.00 (34)	–
AC r1/2	1508	Kateřina Baďurová	CZE	– (NH)	–
AC r1/2	3139	Erica Bartolina	USA	– (NH)	–

Qualifying Round (16 August 2008)

Top 12 and ties and all those clearing 4.60 metres advanced to the final.

Pos	Athlete	NOC	Height	Misses	Total Misses
1	Yelena Isinbayeva	RUS	4.60	0	0	Q
=2	Gao Shuying	CHN	4.50	0	0	q
=2	Vanessa Boslak	FRA	4.50	0	0	q
=2	Jenn Stuczynski	USA	4.50	0	0	q
=2	Fabiana Mürer	BRA	4.50	0	0	q
=6	Svetlana Feofanova	RUS	4.50	0	1	q
=6	April Steiner-Bennett	USA	4.50	0	1	q
=8	Monika Pyrek	POL	4.50	1	1	q
=8	Anna Rogowska	POL	4.50	1	1	q
=10	Carolin Hingst	GER	4.50	1	2	q
=10	Yuliya Golubchikova	RUS	4.50	1	2	q
12	Silke Spiegelburg	GER	4.50	1	3	q
13	Naroa Agirre	ESP	4.40	1	1
14	Nastja Reiberger	GER	4.40	1	2
15	Kate Dennison	GBR	4.40	2	5
=16	Alana Boyd	AUS	4.30	0	0
=16	Roslinda Samsu	MAS	4.30	0	0
18	Kelsie Hendry	CAN	4.30	1	1
=19	Afroditi Skafida	GRE	4.30	1	2
=19	Sandra Tavares	POR	4.30	1	2
=19	Joanna Piwowarska	POL	4.30	1	2
22	Nicole Büchler	SUI	4.30	2	4
=23	Þórey Edda Elísdóttir	ISL	4.15	0	0
=23	Marion Buisson	FRA	4.15	0	0
25	Zhou Yang	CHN	4.15	0	1
26	Krisztina Molnár	HUN	4.15	0	2
=27	Yarisley Silva	CUB	4.15	2	2
=27	Nataliya Kushch	UKR	4.15	2	2
=27	Li Ling	CHN	4.15	2	2
=27	Nikol Kyriakopoulou	GRE	4.15	2	2
31	Alejandra García	ARG	4.15	2	4
=32	Leila Ben Youssef	TUN	4.00	1	1
=32	Vanessa Vandy	FIN	4.00	1	1
34	Anna Foitidou	CYP	4.00	2	2
NH	Kateřina Baďurová	CZE	–	–	–
NH	Erica Bartolina	USA	–	–	–

Qualifying Round, Group A (16 August 2008 — 10:10)

Pos	Athlete	NOC	Height	Misses	Total Misses	4.00 m	4.15 m	4.30 m	4.40 m	4.50 m	4.60 m
1	Yelena Isinbayeva	RUS	4.60	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	o
2	Gao Shuying	CHN	4.50	0	0	-	-	o	o	o	-
=3	Svetlana Feofanova	RUS	4.50	0	1	-	-	-	xo	o	-
=3	April Steiner-Bennett	USA	4.50	0	1	-	-	xo	o	o	-
5	Monika Pyrek	POL	4.50	1	1	-	-	-	o	xo	-
6	Carolin Hingst	GER	4.50	1	2	-	o	xo	o	xo	-
7	Naroa Agirre	ESP	4.40	1	1	o	o	o	xo	xxx	–
8	Nastja Reiberger	GER	4.40	1	2	-	o	xo	xo	xxx	–
=9	Afroditi Skafida	GRE	4.30	1	2	-	xo	xo	xxx	–	–
=9	Sandra Tavares	POR	4.30	1	2	o	xo	xo	xxx	–	–
=9	Joanna Piwowarska	POL	4.30	1	2	xo	o	xo	xxx	–	–
12	Marion Buisson	FRA	4.15	0	0	o	o	xx-	–	–	–
=13	Yarisley Silva	CUB	4.15	2	2	-	xxo	xxx	–	–	–
=13	Nataliya Kushch	UKR	4.15	2	2	-	xxo	-	xxx	–	–
=13	Li Ling	CHN	4.15	2	2	-	xxo	xxx	–	–	–
16	Alejandra García	ARG	4.15	2	4	xxo	xxo	xxx	–	–	–
=17	Leila Ben Youssef	TUN	4.00	1	1	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–
=17	Vanessa Vandy	FIN	4.00	1	1	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–

Qualifying Round, Group B (16 August 2008 — 10:10)

Pos	Athlete	NOC	Height	Misses	Total Misses	4.00 m	4.15 m	4.30 m	4.40 m	4.50 m	4.60 m
=1	Vanessa Boslak	FRA	4.50	0	0	-	o	o	o	o	–
=1	Jenn Stuczynski	USA	4.50	0	0	-	-	-	-	o	–
=1	Fabiana Mürer	BRA	4.50	0	0	-	-	-	o	o	–
4	Anna Rogowska	POL	4.50	1	1	-	-	-	o	xo	–
5	Yuliya Golubchikova	RUS	4.50	1	2	-	-	o	xo	xo	–
6	Silke Spiegelburg	GER	4.50	1	3	-	-	xxo	o	xo	–
7	Kate Dennison	GBR	4.40	2	5	xo	xo	xo	xxo	xxx	–
=8	Alana Boyd	AUS	4.30	0	0	-	-	o	xxx	–	–
=8	Roslinda Samsu	MAS	4.30	0	0	o	o	o	xxx	–	–
10	Kelsie Hendry	CAN	4.30	1	1	-	-	xo	xxx	–	–
11	Nicole Büchler	SUI	4.30	2	4	xxo	o	xxo	xxx	–	–
12	Þórey Edda Elísdóttir	ISL	4.15	0	0	-	o	xxx	–	–	–
13	Zhou Yang	CHN	4.15	0	1	xo	o	xxx	–	–	–
14	Krisztina Molnár	HUN	4.15	0	2	xxo	o	xxx	–	–	–
15	Nikol Kyriakopoulou	GRE	4.15	2	2	-	xxo	xxx	–	–	–
16	Anna Foitidou	CYP	4.00	2	2	xxo	xxx	–	–	–	–
NH	Kateřina Baďurová	CZE	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
NH	Erica Bartolina	USA	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Final Round (18 August 2008 — 19:20)

Pos	Athlete	NOC	Height	Misses	Total Misses	4.30 m	4.45 m	4.55 m	4.65 m	4.70 m	4.75 m	4.80 m	4.85 m	4.90 m	4.95 m	5.00 m	5.05 m
1	Yelena Isinbayeva	RUS	5.05	2	4	-	-	-	-	o	-	-	o	-	xxo	-	xxo	WR
2	Jenn Stuczynski	USA	4.80	0	1	-	-	o	-	o	xo	o	-	xxx	–	–	–
3	Svetlana Feofanova	RUS	4.75	0	1	-	o	o	xo	-	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–
4	Yuliya Golubchikova	RUS	4.75	1	2	-	o	o	xo	o	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–
5	Monika Pyrek	POL	4.70	1	1	-	o	o	o	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–
6	Carolin Hingst	GER	4.65	2	2	o	o	o	xxo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
7	Silke Spiegelburg	GER	4.65	2	3	o	xo	o	xxo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
8	April Steiner-Bennett	USA	4.55	0	0	o	o	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
9	Vanessa Boslak	FRA	4.55	1	1	o	o	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
=10	Anna Rogowska	POL	4.45	0	0	-	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
=10	Fabiana Mürer	BRA	4.45	0	0	-	o	-	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
12	Gao Shuying	CHN	4.45	2	2	o	xxo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–