The women's pole vault event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 2 and 5 August 2021 at the Japan National Stadium. 31 athletes from 19 nations competed. In her first Olympics, 30-year-old American Katie Nageotte won the gold medal by 5cm with a clearance of 4.90 metres. The silver medal went to Russian worldclea champion Anzhelika Sidorova and the bronze to Holly Bradshaw of Great Britain.

Summary Fifteen women qualified for the final by clearing 4.55m. Thirteen the opening height of 4.50m, but the three who struggled at that height were among the favorites; defending champion Katerina Stefanidi, American champion Katie Nageotte and former junior world record holder Angelica Bengtsson each were down to their last attempt. At the next height, 4.70m, only four were able to get over the bar; World Champion Anzhelika Sidorova on her first attempt; seven-time British Champion Holly Bradshaw and Nageotte on their second; and again on her final attempt, Stefanidi. With a perfect series going, Sidorova had the lead, Bradshaw held the edge over Nageotte with Stefanidi off the podium as they moved the bar up to 4.80m, Stefanidi missed, Sidorova to maintain her perfect series, Bradshaw missed and Nageotte made it to move into second position. Bradshaw and Stefanidi on their second attempt, so the bar moved up to 4.85m. Stefanidi missed her first attempt again while the other three on their first attempt. With nothing to be gained by a clearance, Stefanidi passed to the next height 4.90m. Only 9 women have ever 4.90m, all of these were among that group. Nobody on their first attempt and when Stefanidi missed on her second and because of the earlier miss, final attempt, the medalists had been decided. Sidorova and Bradshaw missed again, then Nageotte the height on her second attempt to move into the gold medal position. Sidorova passed her third attempt to make a single attempt at 4.95m for gold. Bradshaw missed equalling her personal best and finished with the bronze medal. Sidorova aborted her attempt at 4.95m passing under the bar leaving Nageotte with gold. After celebrating, Nageotte took one attempt at 5.01m to try to become third of all time but after already securing gold, she didn't have the fire, quitting halfway down the runway.

Background This was the 6th appearance of the event, having appeared at every Summer Olympics since 2000.

Qualification

A National Olympic Committee (NOC) could enter up to 3 qualified athletes in the women's pole vault event if all athletes meet the entry standard or qualify by ranking during the qualifying period. (The limit of 3 has been in place since the 1930 Olympic Congress.) The qualifying standard is 4.70metres. This standard was "set for the sole purpose of qualifying athletes with exceptional performances unable to qualify through the IAAF World Rankings pathway." The world rankings, based on the average of the best five results for the athlete over the qualifying period and weighted by the importance of the meet, will then be used to qualify athletes until the cap of 32 is reached.

The qualifying period was originally from 1 May 2019 to 29 June 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the period was suspended from 6 April 2020 to 30 November 2020, with the end date extended to 29 June 2021. The world rankings period start date was also changed from 1 May 2019 to 30 June 2020; athletes who had met the qualifying standard during that time were still qualified, but those using world rankings would not be able to count performances during that time. The qualifying time standards could be obtained in various meets during the given period that have the approval of the IAAF. Both outdoor and indoor meets are eligible. The most recent Area Championships may be counted in the ranking, even if not during the qualifying period.

NOCs can also use their universality place—each NOC can enter one female athlete regardless of time if they had no female athletes meeting the entry standard for an athletics event—in the pole vault.

Competition format The 2020 competition continued to use the two-round format introduced in 1912. There were two distinct rounds of vaulting with results between rounds. Vaulters were eliminated if they had three consecutive failures, whether at a single height or between multiple heights if they attempted to advance before clearing a height.

The qualifying round had the bar set at various heights up to a qualifying standard (to be determined closer to the start of the Games; 4.60metres in 2016). All jumpers clearing that standard advanced to the final. A minimum of 12 jumpers advanced; if fewer than 12 achieved the qualifying standard, the top 12 (including ties after use of the countback rules) advanced.

The final had jumps starting typically just below the qualifying standard and increasing gradually. The final continued until all jumpers are eliminated.

Women's pole vault Qualification standardNo. of athletes NOC Nominated athletesEntry standard – 4.70 3 Nikoleta KyriakopoulouEleni-Klaoudia PolakKaterina Stefanidi3 Morgann LeLeuxSandi MorrisKatie Nageotte2 Anicka NewellAlysha Newman2 Li LingXu Huiqin2 Angelica BengtssonMichaela Meijer1 Nina Kennedy1 Anzhelika Sidorova1 Iryna Zhuk1 Yarisley Silva1 Holly Bradshaw1 Roberta Bruni1 Tina Šutej1 Angelica Moser1 Maryna Kylypko1 Robeilys PeinadoWorld ranking2 Elina LampelaWilma Murto1 Liz Parnov1 Fanny Smets1 Romana Maláčová1 Lisa Ryzih1 Elisa Molinarolo1 Lene Retzius1 Andrina Hodel1 Yana Hladiychuk Total 32

Records Prior to this competition, the existing world, Olympic, and area records were as follows.

Area Height (m) Athlete Nation Africa 4.42 Elmarie Gerryts Asia 4.72 Li Ling Europe 5.06 Yelena Isinbayeva North, Central America and Caribbean 5.03 Jenn Suhr Oceania 4.94 Eliza McCartney South America 4.87 Fabiana Murer

Schedule All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

The women's pole vault took place over two separate days.

Date Time Round Monday, 2 August 2021 19:00 Qualifying Thursday, 5 August 2021 19:00 Final

Result Qualification Qualification Rules: Qualifying performance 4.70 (Q) or at least 12 best performers (q) advance to the Final.

+ Rank Group Athlete Nation 4.25 4.40 4.55 Height Notes 1 B Holly Bradshaw — — o 4.55 A Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou o o o 4.55 A Katie Nageotte — — o 4.55 B Anicka Newell — o o 4.55 A Robeilys Peinado — o o 4.55 B Anzhelika Sidorova — — o 4.55 A Tina Šutej o o o 4.55 8 A Wilma Murto o o xo 4.55 B Yarisley Silva — o xo 4.55 B Katerina Stefanidi — — xo 4.55 A Iryna Zhuk — o xo 4.55 12 A Angelica Bengtsson o xo xo 4.55 13 B Morgann LeLeux — o xxo 4.55 B Xu Huiqin — o xxo 4.55 15 A Maryna Kylypko o xo xxo 4.55 16 B Michaela Meijer o o xxx 4.40 A Sandi Morris — o xxx 4.40 18 A Elisa Molinarolo xo o xxx 4.40 19 A Eleni-Klaoudia Polak xxo o xxx 4.40 20 B Angelica Moser — xo xxx 4.40 21 B Yana Hladiychuk xxo xo xxx 4.40 22 A Nina Kennedy — xxo xxx 4.40 23 B Romana Maláčová xo xxo xxx 4.40 24 B Roberta Bruni o xxx 4.25 A Andrina Hodel o xxx 4.25 B Liz Parnov o xxx 4.25 27 B Fanny Smets xo xxx 4.25 B Lene Retzius xo xxx 4.25 A Li Ling — — xxx B Elina Lampela xxx A Alysha Newman xxx

Final + Rank Athlete Nation 4.50 4.70 4.80 4.85 4.90 4.95 5.01 Height Notes Katie Nageotte xxo xo o o xo — xr 4.90 Anzhelika Sidorova o o o o xx– x 4.85 Holly Bradshaw o xo xo o xxx 4.85 4 Katerina Stefanidi xxo xxo xo x– xx 4.80 = 5 Maryna Kylypko o xxx 4.50 Tina Šutej o xxx 4.50 Wilma Murto o xxx 4.50 8 Yarisley Silva xo xxx 4.50 Xu Huiqin xo xxx 4.50 Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou xo xxx 4.50 Robeilys Peinado xo xxx 4.50 Iryna Zhuk xo xxx 4.50 13 Angelica Bengtsson xxo xxx 4.50 — Morgann LeLeux xxx Anicka Newell xxx

References