| Date | 5 – 7 August 1992 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Estadio Olímpico de Montjuïc, Barcelona |
| Participants | 34 from 25 countries |
The overwhelming favorite in this event 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.
Bubka 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 to 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. However, 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 Bubka’s 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 | Number | Competitor | NOC | Qualifying | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | – ( | |||
| AC r2/2 | 1672 | Tim Bright | USA | 5.60 (4) | – ( | |||
| 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 | – ( | – | |||
| AC r1/2 | 1092 | Hiroyuki Sano |  JPN | – ( | – | |||
| AC r1/2 | 1149 | Kim Cheol-Gyun |  KOR | – ( | – | |||
| AC r1/2 | 1173 | Aleksandrs Obižajevs |  LAT | – ( | – | |||
| AC r1/2 | 1325 | Paul Gibbons |  NZL | – ( | – | |||
| 72 | Hermann Fehringer |  AUT | – ( | – |
| Date | 5 August 1992 — 9:30 |
|---|---|
| Format | Top 12 and ties and all those clearing 5.60 metres advanced to the final. |
| Date | 5 August 1992 |
|---|
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Best Height Cleared | Misses at Best Height Cleared | Total Misses thru Best Height Cleared | Attempts at 4.80 m | Attempts at 5.00 m | Attempts at 5.20 m | Attempts at 5.30 m | Attempts at 5.40 m | Attempts at 5.50 m | Attempts at 5.55 m | Attempts at 5.60 m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | Sergey Bubka | EUN | 5.60 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | o | ||
| 2 | 3 | Kory Tarpenning | USA | 5.60 | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | - | xo | xo | - | xo | ||
| 3 | 8 | Alberto Ruiz | ESP | 5.55 | 1 | 2 | - | - | o | - | o | xo | xo | xxx | ||
| 4 | 12 | Dave Volz | USA | 5.55 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | - | o | xo | xxo | xxx | ||
| 5 | 6 | Jean Galfione | FRA | 5.50 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | o | o | - | xxx | ||
| =6 | 7 | Jani Lehtonen | FIN | 5.50 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | xo | o | - | xxx | ||
| =6 | 9 | Philippe d'Encausse | FRA | 5.50 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | xo | o | - | xxx | ||
| 8 | 10 | Galin Nikov | BUL | 5.50 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | o | - | xo | - | xxx | ||
| 9 | 13 | Valeri Bukrejev | EST | 5.50 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | o | xxo | xxx | – | ||
| 10 | 11 | Daniel Martí | ESP | 5.40 | 1 | 1 | - | - | o | - | xo | xxx | – | – | ||
| 11 | 4 | Peter Widén | SWE | 5.40 | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | xxo | xxo | xxx | – | – | ||
| =12 | 14 | Doug Wood | CAN | 5.20 | 0 | 0 | - | - | o | - | xxx | – | – | – | ||
| =12 | 16 | Kersley Gardenne | MRI | 5.20 | 0 | 0 | o | o | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | ||
| 14 | 5 | Mike Edwards | GBR | 5.20 | 1 | 1 | - | - | xo | xxx | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1 | Kim Cheol-Gyun | KOR | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 2 | Paul Gibbons | NZL | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 72 | Hermann Fehringer | AUT | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Date | 5 August 1992 |
|---|
| Pos | Start Order | Competitor | NOC | Best Height Cleared | Misses at Best Height Cleared | Total Misses thru Best Height Cleared | Attempts at 4.80 m | Attempts at 5.00 m | Attempts at 5.20 m | Attempts at 5.30 m | Attempts at 5.40 m | Attempts at 5.50 m | Attempts at 5.55 m | Attempts at 5.60 m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Maksim Tarasov | EUN | 5.60 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | o | - | o | ||
| 2 | 15 | Danny Krasnov | ISR | 5.60 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | xo | o | xo | o | ||
| 3 | 5 | Tim Bright | USA | 5.60 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | o | o | - | xo | ||
| 4 | 3 | Igor Trandenkov | EUN | 5.60 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | xo | - | xxo | ||
| 5 | 2 | Javier García | ESP | 5.55 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | o | xo | xo | x- | ||
| =6 | 10 | Asko Peltoniemi | FIN | 5.55 | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | - | xo | xo | xo | x- | ||
| =6 | 9 | István Bagyula | HUN | 5.55 | 1 | 3 | - | - | o | o | xo | xo | xo | xxx | ||
| 8 | 8 | Philippe Collet | FRA | 5.55 | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | - | xo | xo | xxo | x- | ||
| 9 | 11 | Edgar Díaz | PUR | 5.50 | 2 | 5 | - | - | xxo | - | xo | xxo | xxx | – | ||
| 10 | 1 | Andrea Pegoraro | ITA | 5.40 | 2 | 3 | - | - | xo | - | xxo | xxx | – | – | ||
| 11 | 17 | Simon Arkell | AUS | 5.30 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | o | - | xxx | – | – | ||
| 12 | 13 | Christos Pallakis | GRE | 5.30 | 2 | 3 | - | xo | o | xxo | xxx | – | – | – | ||
| 13 | 14 | Fotis Stefani | CYP | 5.20 | 1 | 1 | - | o | xo | xxx | – | – | – | – | ||
| 14 | 16 | Edward Lasquette | PHI | 5.00 | 0 | 2 | xxo | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 15 | 12 | Nuno Fernandes | POR | 5.00 | 1 | 3 | xxo | xo | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 7 | Tomás Riether | CHI | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 18 | Hiroyuki Sano | JPN | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 6 | Aleksandrs Obižajevs | LAT | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Date | 7 August 1992 — 17:00 |
|---|
| Pos | Start Order | Competitor | NOC | Best Height Cleared | Misses at Best Height Cleared | Total Misses thru Best Height Cleared | Attempts at 5.20 m | Attempts at 5.30 m | Attempts at 5.40 m | Attempts at 5.50 m | Attempts at 5.55 m | Attempts at 5.60 m | Attempts at 5.65 m | Attempts at 5.70 m | Attempts at 5.75 m | Attempts at 5.80 m | Attempts at 5.85 m | Attempts at 5.90 m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Maksim Tarasov | EUN | 5.80 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | - | o | - | xxx | ||
| 2 | 12 | Igor Trandenkov | EUN | 5.80 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | o | - | - | - | o | - | xxo | - | xxx | ||
| 3 | 3 | Javier García | ESP | 5.75 | 1 | 1 | - | - | o | - | - | o | - | o | xo | xxx | – | – | ||
| 4 | 10 | Kory Tarpenning | USA | 5.75 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | xxo | xxx | – | – | ||
| 5 | 2 | Dave Volz | USA | 5.65 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | xo | - | - | o | - | xxx | – | – | – | ||
| 6 | 5 | Asko Peltoniemi | FIN | 5.60 | 1 | 3 | - | - | xxo | - | - | xo | - | x- | xx- | – | – | – | ||
| 7 | 4 | Philippe Collet | FRA | 5.55 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | o | - | - | xxx | – | – | – | – | ||
| 8 | 7 | Danny Krasnov | ISR | 5.40 | 1 | 1 | - | - | xo | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 9 | 1 | István Bagyula | HUN | 5.30 | 0 | 2 | xxo | o | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 10 | 6 | Alberto Ruiz | ESP | 5.30 | 2 | 2 | - | xxo | - | xxx | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 8 | Sergey Bubka | EUN | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 9 | Tim Bright | USA | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
