| | Event type

Pole Vault, Men

Date	5 – 7 August 1992
Status	Olympic
Location	Estadio Olímpico de Montjuïc, Barcelona
Participants	34 from 25 countries

The overwhelming favorite was Sergey Bubka. He was a three-time World Champion, defending Olympic Champion, and by 1992 had set the last 16 world records in pole vaulting. On 5 August 1991 one of his world records was AT 6.10 (20-0¼), which meant little to most people, but to the Imperial world, that was the first pole vault ever over clear 20 feet. He qualified easily, and opened in the final with 5.70 (18-8¼). Missing twice at that height he then passed to 5.75, where he also failed and he was out of the competition without a height. What had happened?

One theory relates to the time allowed competitors in the pole vault, which is two minutes after being called for the next jump. As the star of the international circuit, Bubka was usually allowed to do what he wanted. But American Tim Bright had reminded the officials in Barcelona of the rules and Bubka later commented that it seemed like the clock was running faster than usual. In his absence the competition came down to two Russians, representing the Unified Team. Maksim Tarasov and Igor Trandenkov were the only vaulters over 5.80 (19-0¼), which decided the competition. Tarasov’s first attempt clearance got him the gold medal, with silver to Trandenkov. Spaniard Javier García won the bronze medal to the delight of the Barcelona fans, with his second attempt clearance at 5.75 (18-10¼). America’s Kory Tarpenning also made 5.75 (18-10¼), but on his third effort, and had to compete despite being booed by the partisan Spanish fans.

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Qualifying Round	Final Round
1	566	Maksim Tarasov	EUN	5.60 (=1)	5.80 (1)	Gold
2	569	Igor Trandenkov	EUN	5.60 (6)	5.80 (2)	Silver
3	418	Javier García	ESP	5.55 (=7)	5.75 (3)	Bronze
4	1769	Kory Tarpenning	USA	5.60 (5)	5.75 (4)
5	1777	Dave Volz	USA	5.55 (11)	5.65 (5)
6	605	Asko Peltoniemi	FIN	5.55 (=9)	5.60 (6)
7	622	Philippe Collet	FRA	5.55 (12)	5.55 (7)
8	972	Danny Krasnov	ISR	5.60 (3)	5.40 (8)
9	913	István Bagyula	HUN	5.55 (=9)	5.30 (9)
10	448	Alberto Ruiz	ESP	5.55 (=7)	5.30 (10)
AC r2/2	489	Sergey Bubka	EUN	5.60 (=1)	– (NH)
AC r2/2	1672	Tim Bright	USA	5.60 (4)	– (NH)
13 r1/2	634	Jean Galfione	FRA	5.50 (13)	–
=14 r1/2	634	Jani Lehtonen	FIN	5.50 (=14)	–
=14 r1/2	624	Philippe d'Encausse	FRA	5.50 (=14)	–
16 r1/2	1835	Galin Nikov	BUL	5.50 (16)	–
17 r1/2	456	Valeri Bukrejev	EST	5.50 (17)	–
18 r1/2	1426	Edgar Díaz	PUR	5.50 (18)	–
19 r1/2	432	Daniel Martí	ESP	5.40 (19)	–
20 r1/2	1020	Andrea Pegoraro	ITA	5.40 (20)	–
21 r1/2	1579	Peter Widén	SWE	5.40 (21)	–
22 r1/2	35	Simon Arkell	AUS	5.30 (22)	–
23 r1/2	882	Christos Pallakis	GRE	5.30 (23)	–
=24 r1/2	251	Doug Wood	CAN	5.20 (=24)	–
=24 r1/2	1260	Kersley Gardenne	MRI	5.20 (=24)	–
=26 r1/2	375	Fotis Stefani	CYP	5.20 (=26)	–
=26 r1/2	705	Mike Edwards	GBR	5.20 (=26)	–
28 r1/2	1353	Edward Lasquette	PHI	5.00 (28)	–
29 r1/2	1398	Nuno Fernandes	POR	5.00 (29)	–
AC r1/2	266	Tomás Riether	CHI	– (NH)	–
AC r1/2	1092	Hiroyuki Sano	JPN	– (NH)	–
AC r1/2	1149	Kim Cheol-Gyun	KOR	– (NH)	–
AC r1/2	1173	Aleksandrs Obižajevs	LAT	– (NH)	–
AC r1/2	1325	Paul Gibbons	NZL	– (NH)	–
DNS	72	Hermann Fehringer	AUT	– (DNS)	–

Qualifying Round (5 August 1992 — 9:30)

Top 12 and ties and all those clearing 5.60 metres advanced to the final.

Pos	Athlete	NOC	Height	Misses	Total Misses
=1	Sergey Bubka	EUN	5.60	0	0	Q
=1	Maksim Tarasov	EUN	5.60	0	0	Q
3	Danny Krasnov	ISR	5.60	0	2	Q
4	Tim Bright	USA	5.60	1	1	Q
5	Kory Tarpenning	USA	5.60	1	3	Q
6	Igor Trandenkov	EUN	5.60	2	3	Q
=7	Javier García	ESP	5.55	1	2	q
=7	Alberto Ruiz	ESP	5.55	1	2	q
=9	Asko Peltoniemi	FIN	5.55	1	3	q
=9	István Bagyula	HUN	5.55	1	3	q
11	Dave Volz	USA	5.55	2	3	q
12	Philippe Collet	FRA	5.55	2	4	q
13	Jean Galfione	FRA	5.50	0	0
=14	Jani Lehtonen	FIN	5.50	0	1
=14	Philippe d'Encausse	FRA	5.50	0	1
16	Galin Nikov	BUL	5.50	1	1
17	Valeri Bukrejev	EST	5.50	2	2
18	Edgar Díaz	PUR	5.50	2	5
19	Daniel Martí	ESP	5.40	1	1
20	Andrea Pegoraro	ITA	5.40	2	3
21	Peter Widén	SWE	5.40	2	4
22	Simon Arkell	AUS	5.30	0	0
23	Christos Pallakis	GRE	5.30	2	3
=24	Doug Wood	CAN	5.20	0	0
=24	Kersley Gardenne	MRI	5.20	0	0
=26	Fotis Stefani	CYP	5.20	1	1
=26	Mike Edwards	GBR	5.20	1	1
28	Edward Lasquette	PHI	5.00	0	2
29	Nuno Fernandes	POR	5.00	1	3
NH	Tomás Riether	CHI	–	–	–
NH	Hiroyuki Sano	JPN	–	–	–
NH	Kim Cheol-Gyun	KOR	–	–	–
NH	Aleksandrs Obižajevs	LAT	–	–	–
NH	Paul Gibbons	NZL	–	–	–
DNS	Hermann Fehringer	AUT	–	–	–

Qualifying Round, Group A (5 August 1992)

Pos	Athlete	NOC	Height	Misses	Total Misses	4.80 m	5.00 m	5.20 m	5.30 m	5.40 m	5.50 m	5.55 m	5.60 m
1	Sergey Bubka	EUN	5.60	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	o
2	Kory Tarpenning	USA	5.60	1	3	-	-	-	-	xo	xo	-	xo
3	Alberto Ruiz	ESP	5.55	1	2	-	-	o	-	o	xo	xo	xxx
4	Dave Volz	USA	5.55	2	3	-	-	-	-	o	xo	xxo	xxx
5	Jean Galfione	FRA	5.50	0	0	-	-	-	-	o	o	-	xxx
=6	Jani Lehtonen	FIN	5.50	0	1	-	-	-	-	xo	o	-	xxx
=6	Philippe d'Encausse	FRA	5.50	0	1	-	-	-	-	xo	o	-	xxx
8	Galin Nikov	BUL	5.50	1	1	-	-	-	o	-	xo	-	xxx
9	Valeri Bukrejev	EST	5.50	2	2	-	-	-	-	o	xxo	xxx	–
10	Daniel Martí	ESP	5.40	1	1	-	-	o	-	xo	xxx	–	–
11	Peter Widén	SWE	5.40	2	4	-	-	-	xxo	xxo	xxx	–	–
=12	Doug Wood	CAN	5.20	0	0	-	-	o	-	xxx	–	–	–
=12	Kersley Gardenne	MRI	5.20	0	0	o	o	o	xxx	–	–	–	–
14	Mike Edwards	GBR	5.20	1	1	-	-	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–
NH	Kim Cheol-Gyun	KOR	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
NH	Paul Gibbons	NZL	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
DNS	Hermann Fehringer	AUT	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Qualifying Round, Group B (5 August 1992)

Pos	Athlete	NOC	Height	Misses	Total Misses	4.80 m	5.00 m	5.20 m	5.30 m	5.40 m	5.50 m	5.55 m	5.60 m
1	Maksim Tarasov	EUN	5.60	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	o	-	o
2	Danny Krasnov	ISR	5.60	0	2	-	-	-	-	xo	o	xo	o
3	Tim Bright	USA	5.60	1	1	-	-	-	-	o	o	-	xo
4	Igor Trandenkov	EUN	5.60	2	3	-	-	-	-	-	xo	-	xxo
5	Javier García	ESP	5.55	1	2	-	-	-	-	o	xo	xo	x-
=6	Asko Peltoniemi	FIN	5.55	1	3	-	-	-	-	xo	xo	xo	x-
=6	István Bagyula	HUN	5.55	1	3	-	-	o	o	xo	xo	xo	xxx
8	Philippe Collet	FRA	5.55	2	4	-	-	-	-	xo	xo	xxo	x-
9	Edgar Díaz	PUR	5.50	2	5	-	-	xxo	-	xo	xxo	xxx	–
10	Andrea Pegoraro	ITA	5.40	2	3	-	-	xo	-	xxo	xxx	–	–
11	Simon Arkell	AUS	5.30	0	0	-	-	-	o	-	xxx	–	–
12	Christos Pallakis	GRE	5.30	2	3	-	xo	o	xxo	xxx	–	–	–
13	Fotis Stefani	CYP	5.20	1	1	-	o	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–
14	Edward Lasquette	PHI	5.00	0	2	xxo	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–
15	Nuno Fernandes	POR	5.00	1	3	xxo	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–
NH	Tomás Riether	CHI	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
NH	Hiroyuki Sano	JPN	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
NH	Aleksandrs Obižajevs	LAT	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Final Round (7 August 1992 — 17:00)

Pos	Athlete	NOC	Height	Misses	Total Misses	5.20 m	5.30 m	5.40 m	5.50 m	5.55 m	5.60 m	5.65 m	5.70 m	5.75 m	5.80 m	5.85 m	5.90 m
1	Maksim Tarasov	EUN	5.80	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	o	-	-	-	o	-	xxx
2	Igor Trandenkov	EUN	5.80	2	2	-	-	-	o	-	-	-	o	-	xxo	-	xxx
3	Javier García	ESP	5.75	1	1	-	-	o	-	-	o	-	o	xo	xxx	–	–
4	Kory Tarpenning	USA	5.75	2	2	-	-	-	-	-	o	-	-	xxo	xxx	–	–
5	Dave Volz	USA	5.65	0	1	-	-	-	xo	-	-	o	-	xxx	–	–	–
6	Asko Peltoniemi	FIN	5.60	1	3	-	-	xxo	-	-	xo	-	x-	xx-	–	–	–
7	Philippe Collet	FRA	5.55	0	0	-	-	-	-	o	-	-	xxx	–	–	–	–
8	Danny Krasnov	ISR	5.40	1	1	-	-	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
9	István Bagyula	HUN	5.30	0	2	xxo	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
10	Alberto Ruiz	ESP	5.30	2	2	-	xxo	-	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
NH	Sergey Bubka	EUN	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
NH	Tim Bright	USA	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–