| | 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 Isinbayeva 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	Number	Competitor	NOC	Qualifying	Final
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

Date	16 August 2008
Format	Top 12 and ties and all those clearing 4.60 metres advanced to the final.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Best Height Cleared	Misses at Best Height Cleared	Total Misses thru Best Height Cleared
1	2784	Yelena Isinbayeva	RUS	4.60	0	0	Q
=2	1386	Gao Shuying	CHN	4.50	0	0	q
=2	1724	Vanessa Boslak	FRA	4.50	0	0	q
=2	3276	Jenn Stuczynski	USA	4.50	0	0	q
=2	1241	Fabiana Mürer	BRA	4.50	0	0	q
=6	2778	Svetlana Feofanova	RUS	4.50	0	1	q
=6	3237	April Steiner-Bennett	USA	4.50	0	1	q
=8	2608	Monika Pyrek	POL	4.50	1	1	q
=8	2609	Anna Rogowska	POL	4.50	1	1	q
=10	1859	Carolin Hingst	GER	4.50	1	2	q
=10	2761	Yuliya Golubchikova	RUS	4.50	1	2	q
12	1879	Silke Spiegelburg	GER	4.50	1	3	q
13	1596	Naroa Agirre	ESP	4.40	1	1
14	1905	Nastja Reiberger	GER	4.40	1	2
15	1795	Kate Dennison	GBR	4.40	2	5
=16	1073	Alana Boyd	AUS	4.30	0	0
=16	2411	Roslinda Samsu	MAS	4.30	0	0
18	1312	Kelsie Hendry	CAN	4.30	1	1
=19	1944	Afroditi Skafida	GRE	4.30	1	2
=19	2671	Sandra Tavares	POR	4.30	1	2
=19	2632	Joanna Piwowarska	POL	4.30	1	2
22	2919	Nicole Büchler	SUI	4.30	2	4
=23	2059	Þórey Edda Elísdóttir	ISL	4.15	0	0
=23	1725	Marion Buisson	FRA	4.15	0	0
25	1362	Zhou Yang	CHN	4.15	0	1
26	2013	Krisztina Molnár	HUN	4.15	0	2
=27	1454	Yarisley Silva	CUB	4.15	2	2
=27	3129	Nataliya Kushch	UKR	4.15	2	2
=27	1361	Li Ling	CHN	4.15	2	2
=27	1945	Nikol Kyriakopoulou	GRE	4.15	2	2
31	1033	Alejandra García	ARG	4.15	2	4
=32	3031	Leila Ben Youssef	TUN	4.00	1	1
=32	1692	Vanessa Vandy	FIN	4.00	1	1
34	1503	Anna Foitidou	CYP	4.00	2	2
NH	1508	Kateřina Baďurová	CZE	–	–	–
NH	3139	Erica Bartolina	USA	–	–	–

Group A

Date	16 August 2008 — 10:10

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Best Height Cleared	Misses at Best Height Cleared	Total Misses thru Best Height Cleared	Attempts at 4.00 m	Attempts at 4.15 m	Attempts at 4.30 m	Attempts at 4.40 m	Attempts at 4.50 m	Attempts at 4.60 m
1	2784	Yelena Isinbayeva	RUS	4.60	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	o
2	1386	Gao Shuying	CHN	4.50	0	0	-	-	o	o	o	-
=3	2778	Svetlana Feofanova	RUS	4.50	0	1	-	-	-	xo	o	-
=3	3237	April Steiner-Bennett	USA	4.50	0	1	-	-	xo	o	o	-
5	2608	Monika Pyrek	POL	4.50	1	1	-	-	-	o	xo	-
6	1859	Carolin Hingst	GER	4.50	1	2	-	o	xo	o	xo	-
7	1596	Naroa Agirre	ESP	4.40	1	1	o	o	o	xo	xxx	–
8	1905	Nastja Reiberger	GER	4.40	1	2	-	o	xo	xo	xxx	–
=9	1944	Afroditi Skafida	GRE	4.30	1	2	-	xo	xo	xxx	–	–
=9	2671	Sandra Tavares	POR	4.30	1	2	o	xo	xo	xxx	–	–
=9	2632	Joanna Piwowarska	POL	4.30	1	2	xo	o	xo	xxx	–	–
12	1725	Marion Buisson	FRA	4.15	0	0	o	o	xx-	–	–	–
=13	1454	Yarisley Silva	CUB	4.15	2	2	-	xxo	xxx	–	–	–
=13	3129	Nataliya Kushch	UKR	4.15	2	2	-	xxo	-	xxx	–	–
=13	1361	Li Ling	CHN	4.15	2	2	-	xxo	xxx	–	–	–
16	1033	Alejandra García	ARG	4.15	2	4	xxo	xxo	xxx	–	–	–
=17	3031	Leila Ben Youssef	TUN	4.00	1	1	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–
=17	1692	Vanessa Vandy	FIN	4.00	1	1	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–

Group B

Date	16 August 2008 — 10:10

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Best Height Cleared	Misses at Best Height Cleared	Total Misses thru Best Height Cleared	Attempts at 4.00 m	Attempts at 4.15 m	Attempts at 4.30 m	Attempts at 4.40 m	Attempts at 4.50 m
=1	1724	Vanessa Boslak	FRA	4.50	0	0	-	o	o	o	o
=1	3276	Jenn Stuczynski	USA	4.50	0	0	-	-	-	-	o
=1	1241	Fabiana Mürer	BRA	4.50	0	0	-	-	-	o	o
4	2609	Anna Rogowska	POL	4.50	1	1	-	-	-	o	xo
5	2761	Yuliya Golubchikova	RUS	4.50	1	2	-	-	o	xo	xo
6	1879	Silke Spiegelburg	GER	4.50	1	3	-	-	xxo	o	xo
7	1795	Kate Dennison	GBR	4.40	2	5	xo	xo	xo	xxo	xxx
=8	1073	Alana Boyd	AUS	4.30	0	0	-	-	o	xxx	–
=8	2411	Roslinda Samsu	MAS	4.30	0	0	o	o	o	xxx	–
10	1312	Kelsie Hendry	CAN	4.30	1	1	-	-	xo	xxx	–
11	2919	Nicole Büchler	SUI	4.30	2	4	xxo	o	xxo	xxx	–
12	2059	Þórey Edda Elísdóttir	ISL	4.15	0	0	-	o	xxx	–	–
13	1362	Zhou Yang	CHN	4.15	0	1	xo	o	xxx	–	–
14	2013	Krisztina Molnár	HUN	4.15	0	2	xxo	o	xxx	–	–
15	1945	Nikol Kyriakopoulou	GRE	4.15	2	2	-	xxo	xxx	–	–
16	1503	Anna Foitidou	CYP	4.00	2	2	xxo	xxx	–	–	–
NH	1508	Kateřina Baďurová	CZE	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
NH	3139	Erica Bartolina	USA	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Final Round

Date	18 August 2008 — 19:20

Pos	Start Order	Competitor	NOC	Best Height Cleared	Misses at Best Height Cleared	Total Misses thru Best Height Cleared	Attempts at 4.30 m	Attempts at 4.45 m	Attempts at 4.55 m	Attempts at 4.65 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	Attempts at 4.95 m	Attempts at 5.00 m	Attempts at 5.05 m
1	2784	Yelena Isinbayeva	RUS	5.05	2	4	-	-	-	-	o	-	-	o	-	xxo	-	xxo	WR
2	3276	Jenn Stuczynski	USA	4.80	0	1	-	-	o	-	o	xo	o	-	xxx	–	–	–
3	2778	Svetlana Feofanova	RUS	4.75	0	1	-	o	o	xo	-	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–
4	2761	Yuliya Golubchikova	RUS	4.75	1	2	-	o	o	xo	o	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–
5	2608	Monika Pyrek	POL	4.70	1	1	-	o	o	o	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–
6	1859	Carolin Hingst	GER	4.65	2	2	o	o	o	xxo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
7	1879	Silke Spiegelburg	GER	4.65	2	3	o	xo	o	xxo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
8	3237	April Steiner-Bennett	USA	4.55	0	0	o	o	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
9	1724	Vanessa Boslak	FRA	4.55	1	1	o	o	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
=10	2609	Anna Rogowska	POL	4.45	0	0	-	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
=10	1241	Fabiana Mürer	BRA	4.45	0	0	-	o	-	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
12	1386	Gao Shuying	CHN	4.45	2	2	o	xxo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–