<P> The first world record in the men's pole vault was recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1912 . </P> <P> As of June 21, 2009, 71 world records have been ratified by the IAAF in the event . The introduction in the early 1950s of flexible vaulting poles made from composites such as fiberglass or carbon fiber allowed vaulters to achieve greater height . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Record </Th> <Th> Athlete </Th> <Th> Nation </Th> <Th> Venue </Th> <Th> Date </Th> <Th> #</Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.02 m (13 ft 2 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Marc Wright </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Cambridge, U.S. </Td> <Td> June 8, 1912 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.09 m (13 ft 5 in) </Td> <Td> Frank Foss </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Antwerp, Belgium </Td> <Td> August 20, 1920 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.12 m (13 ft 6 in) </Td> <Td> Charles Hoff </Td> <Td> Norway </Td> <Td> Copenhagen, Denmark </Td> <Td> September 22, 1922 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.21 m (13 ft 9 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Charles Hoff </Td> <Td> Norway </Td> <Td> Copenhagen, Denmark </Td> <Td> July 22, 1923 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.23 m (13 ft 10 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Charles Hoff </Td> <Td> Norway </Td> <Td> Oslo, Norway </Td> <Td> August 13, 1925 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.25 m (13 ft 11 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Charles Hoff </Td> <Td> Norway </Td> <Td> Turku, Finland </Td> <Td> September 27, 1925 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.27 m (14 ft 0 in) </Td> <Td> Sabin Carr </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Philadelphia, U.S. </Td> <Td> May 27, 1927 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.30 m (14 ft 1 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Lee Barnes </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Fresno, U.S. </Td> <Td> April 28, 1928 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) </Td> <Td> William Graber </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Palo Alto, U.S. </Td> <Td> July 16, 1932 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.39 m (14 ft 4 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Keith Brown </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Boston, U.S. </Td> <Td> June 1, 1935 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.43 m (14 ft 6 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> George Varoff </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Princeton, New Jersey, U.S. </Td> <Td> July 4, 1936 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.54 m (14 ft 10 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Bill Sefton </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Los Angeles, U.S. </Td> <Td> May 29, 1937 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.54 m (14 ft 10 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Earle Meadows </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Los Angeles, U.S. </Td> <Td> May 29, 1937 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.60 m (15 ft 1 in) </Td> <Td> Cornelius Warmerdam </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Fresno, U.S. </Td> <Td> June 29, 1940 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.72 m (15 ft 5 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Cornelius Warmerdam </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Compton, U.S. </Td> <Td> June 26, 1941 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.77 m (15 ft 7 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Cornelius Warmerdam </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Modesto, U.S. </Td> <Td> May 23, 1942 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.78 m (15 ft 8 in) </Td> <Td> Robert Gutowski </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Palo Alto, U.S. </Td> <Td> April 27, 1957 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.80 m (15 ft 8 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Don Bragg </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Palo Alto, U.S. </Td> <Td> July 2, 1960 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.83 m (15 ft 10 in) </Td> <Td> George Davies </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Boulder, U.S. </Td> <Td> May 20, 1961 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.89 m (16 ft 0 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> John Uelses </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Santa Barbara, U.S. </Td> <Td> March 31, 1962 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.93 m (16 ft 2 in) </Td> <Td> Dave Tork </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Walnut, U.S. </Td> <Td> April 28, 1962 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4.94 m (16 ft 2 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Pentti Nikula </Td> <Td> Finland </Td> <Td> Kauhava, Finland </Td> <Td> June 22, 1962 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.00 m (16 ft 4 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Brian Sternberg </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Philadelphia, U.S. </Td> <Td> April 27, 1963 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.08 m (16 ft 8 in) </Td> <Td> Brian Sternberg </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Compton </Td> <Td> June 7, 1963 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.13 m (16 ft 9 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> John Pennel </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> London, England </Td> <Td> August 5, 1963 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.20 m (17 ft 0 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> John Pennel </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Coral Gables, U.S. </Td> <Td> August 24, 1963 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.23 m (17 ft 1 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Fred Hansen </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> San Diego, U.S. </Td> <Td> June 13, 1964 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.28 m (17 ft 3 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Fred Hansen </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Los Angeles, U.S. </Td> <Td> July 25, 1964 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.32 m (17 ft 5 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Bob Seagren </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Fresno, U.S. </Td> <Td> May 14, 1966 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.34 m (17 ft 6 in) </Td> <Td> John Pennel </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Los Angeles, U.S. </Td> <Td> July 23, 1966 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.36 m (17 ft 7 in) </Td> <Td> Bob Seagren </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> San Diego, U.S. </Td> <Td> June 10, 1967 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.38 m (17 ft 7 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Paul Wilson </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Bakersfield, U.S. </Td> <Td> June 23, 1967 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.41 m (17 ft 8 ​ ⁄ in) A </Td> <Td> Bob Seagren </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Echo Summit, U.S. </Td> <Td> September 12, 1968 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.44 m (17 ft 10 in) </Td> <Td> John Pennel </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Sacramento, U.S. </Td> <Td> June 21, 1969 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.45 m (17 ft 10 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Wolfgang Nordwig </Td> <Td> East Germany </Td> <Td> Berlin, Germany </Td> <Td> June 17, 1970 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.46 m (17 ft 10 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Wolfgang Nordwig </Td> <Td> East Germany </Td> <Td> Turin, Italy </Td> <Td> September 3, 1970 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.49 m (18 ft 0 in) </Td> <Td> Christos Papanikolaou </Td> <Td> Greece </Td> <Td> Athens, Greece </Td> <Td> October 24, 1970 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.51 m (18 ft 0 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Kjell Isaksson </Td> <Td> Sweden </Td> <Td> Austin, U.S. </Td> <Td> April 8, 1972 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.54 m (18 ft 2 in) </Td> <Td> Kjell Isaksson </Td> <Td> Sweden </Td> <Td> Los Angeles, U.S. </Td> <Td> April 15, 1972 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.55 m (18 ft 2 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Kjell Isaksson </Td> <Td> Sweden </Td> <Td> Helsingborg, Sweden </Td> <Td> June 12, 1972 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.63 m (18 ft 5 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Bob Seagren </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Eugene, U.S. </Td> <Td> July 2, 1972 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.65 m (18 ft 6 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> David Roberts </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Gainesville, U.S. </Td> <Td> March 28, 1975 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.67 m (18 ft 7 in) </Td> <Td> Earl Bell </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Wichita, U.S. </Td> <Td> May 29, 1976 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.70 m (18 ft 8 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> David Roberts </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Eugene, U.S. </Td> <Td> June 22, 1976 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.72 m (18 ft 9 in) </Td> <Td> Władysław Kozakiewicz </Td> <Td> Poland </Td> <Td> Milan, Italy </Td> <Td> May 11, 1980 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.75 m (18 ft 10 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Thierry Vigneron </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td> Paris, France </Td> <Td> June 1, 1980 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.75 m (18 ft 10 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Thierry Vigneron </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td> Lille, France </Td> <Td> June 29, 1980 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.77 m (18 ft 11 in) </Td> <Td> Philippe Houvion </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td> Paris, France </Td> <Td> July 17, 1980 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.78 m (18 ft 11 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Władysław Kozakiewicz </Td> <Td> Poland </Td> <Td> Moscow, Soviet Union </Td> <Td> July 30, 1980 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.80 m (19 ft 0 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Thierry Vigneron </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td> Mâcon, France </Td> <Td> June 20, 1981 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.81 m (19 ft 0 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Vladimir Polyakov </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Tbilisi, Soviet Union </Td> <Td> June 26, 1981 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.82 m (19 ft 1 in) </Td> <Td> Pierre Quinon </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td> Cologne, Germany </Td> <Td> August 28, 1983 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.83 m (19 ft 1 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Thierry Vigneron </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td> Rome, Italy </Td> <Td> September 1, 1983 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.85 m (19 ft 2 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Bratislava, Czechoslovakia </Td> <Td> May 26, 1984 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.88 m (19 ft 3 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Paris, France </Td> <Td> June 2, 1984 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.90 m (19 ft 4 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> London, England </Td> <Td> July 13, 1984 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.91 m (19 ft 4 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Thierry Vigneron </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td> Rome, Italy </Td> <Td> August 31, 1984 </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5.94 m (19 ft 5 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Rome, Italy </Td> <Td> August 31, 1984 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.00 m (19 ft 8 in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Paris, France </Td> <Td> July 13, 1985 </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.01 m (19 ft 8 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Moscow, Soviet Union </Td> <Td> June 8, 1986 </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.03 m (19 ft 9 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Prague, Czechoslovakia </Td> <Td> June 23, 1987 </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.05 m (19 ft 10 in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Bratislava, Czechoslovakia </Td> <Td> June 9, 1988 </Td> <Td> 8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.06 m (19 ft 10 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Nice, France </Td> <Td> July 10, 1988 </Td> <Td> 9 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.07 m (19 ft 10 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Shizuoka, Japan </Td> <Td> May 6, 1991 </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.08 m (19 ft 11 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Moscow, Soviet Union </Td> <Td> June 9, 1991 </Td> <Td> 11 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.09 m (19 ft 11 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Formia, Italy </Td> <Td> July 8, 1991 </Td> <Td> 12 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.10 m (20 ft 0 in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Malmö, Sweden </Td> <Td> August 5, 1991 </Td> <Td> 13 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.11 m (20 ft 0 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Ukraine </Td> <Td> Dijon, France </Td> <Td> June 13, 1992 </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.12 m (20 ft 0 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Ukraine </Td> <Td> Padua, Italy </Td> <Td> August 30, 1992 </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.13 m (20 ft 1 ​ ⁄ in) </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Ukraine </Td> <Td> Tokyo, Japan </Td> <Td> September 19, 1992 </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.14 m (20 ft 1 ​ ⁄ in) A </Td> <Td> Sergey Bubka </Td> <Td> Ukraine </Td> <Td> Sestriere, Italy </Td> <Td> July 31, 1994 </Td> <Td> 17 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6.16 m (20 ft 2 ​ ⁄ in) i </Td> <Td> Renaud Lavillenie </Td> <Td> France </Td> <Td> Donetsk, Ukraine </Td> <Td> February 15, 2014 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Record </Th> <Th> Athlete </Th> <Th> Nation </Th> <Th> Venue </Th> <Th> Date </Th> <Th> #</Th> </Tr>

Who holds the men's pole vault world record