| 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 | Competitor | NOC | Qualifying | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yelena Isinbayeva |  RUS | 4.60 (1) | 5.05 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | Jenn Stuczynski |  USA | 4.50 (=2) | 4.80 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | Svetlana Feofanova | RUS | 4.50 (=6) | 4.75 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | Yuliya Golubchikova | RUS | 4.50 (=10) | 4.75 (4) | |||
| 5 | Monika Pyrek |  POL | 4.50 (=8) | 4.70 (5) | |||
| 6 | Carolin Hingst |  GER | 4.50 (=10) | 4.65 (6) | |||
| 7 | Silke Spiegelburg | GER | 4.50 (12) | 4.65 (7) | |||
| 8 | April Steiner-Bennett | USA | 4.50 (=6) | 4.55 (8) | |||
| 9 | Vanessa Boslak |  FRA | 4.50 (=2) | 4.55 (9) | |||
| =10 | Fabiana Mürer |  BRA | 4.50 (=2) | 4.45 (=10) | |||
| =10 | Anna Rogowska | POL | 4.50 (=8) | 4.45 (=10) | |||
| 12 | Gao Shuying |  CHN | 4.50 (=2) | 4.45 (12) | |||
| 13 r1/2 | Naroa Agirre |  ESP | 4.40 (13) | – | |||
| 14 r1/2 | Nastja Reiberger | GER | 4.40 (14) | – | |||
| 15 r1/2 | Kate Dennison |  GBR | 4.40 (15) | – | |||
| =16 r1/2 | Alana Boyd |  AUS | 4.30 (=16) | – | |||
| =16 r1/2 | Roslinda Samsu |  MAS | 4.30 (=16) | – | |||
| 18 r1/2 | Kelsie Hendry |  CAN | 4.30 (18) | – | |||
| =19 r1/2 | Joanna Piwowarska | POL | 4.30 (=19) | – | |||
| =19 r1/2 | Afroditi Skafida |  GRE | 4.30 (=19) | – | |||
| =19 r1/2 | Sandra Tavares |  POR | 4.30 (=19) | – | |||
| 22 r1/2 | Nicole Büchler |  SUI | 4.30 (22) | – | |||
| =23 r1/2 | Marion Buisson | FRA | 4.15 (=23) | – | |||
| =23 r1/2 | Þórey Edda Elísdóttir |  ISL | 4.15 (=23) | – | |||
| 25 r1/2 | Zhou Yang | CHN | 4.15 (25) | – | |||
| 26 r1/2 | Krisztina Molnár |  HUN | 4.15 (26) | – | |||
| =27 r1/2 | Nataliya Kushch |  UKR | 4.15 (=27) | – | |||
| =27 r1/2 | Nikol Kyriakopoulou | GRE | 4.15 (=27) | – | |||
| =27 r1/2 | Li Ling | CHN | 4.15 (=27) | – | |||
| =27 r1/2 | Yarisley Silva |  CUB | 4.15 (=27) | – | |||
| 31 r1/2 | Alejandra García |  ARG | 4.15 (31) | – | |||
| =32 r1/2 | Leila Ben Youssef |  TUN | 4.00 (=32) | – | |||
| =32 r1/2 | Vanessa Vandy |  FIN | 4.00 (=32) | – | |||
| 34 r1/2 | Anna Foitidou |  CYP | 4.00 (34) | – | |||
| AC r1/2 | Kateřina Baďurová |  CZE | – ( | – | |||
| AC r1/2 | Erica Bartolina | USA | – ( | – |
| Date | 16 August 2008 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top 12 and ties and all those clearing 4.60 metres advanced to the final. |
| Date | 16 August 2008 — 10:10 |
|---|
| Pos | 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 | 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 | – | – | – | – |
| Date | 16 August 2008 — 10:10 |
|---|
| Pos | 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 | 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 | – | – | – | ||
| Kateřina Baďurová | CZE | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| Erica Bartolina | USA | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Date | 18 August 2008 — 19:20 |
|---|
| Pos | 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 | Yelena Isinbayeva | RUS | 5.05 | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | o | - | xxo | - | xxo | ||
| 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 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
