World Record: 4.02m Marc Wright, United States Cambridge, MA (USA) June 8, 1912
Olympic Record: 3.95m Harry Babcock, United States Stockholm (SWE) July 11, 1912
At first Frank Foss set a new Olympic record with 4.00 metres. Then he set a new world record with 4.09 metres.
All finalists cleared 3.60 in the qualifying round. Foss was the
favourite after winning the US Trials with 3.99, but Myers had cleared
the same height, and Jenne had jumped 3.98 elsewhere, so the winner
was in doubt before the final.
By the time the bar reached 3.80, only Foss and the 19 year-old
Petersen were left. Foss cleared, leaving Petersen in silver medal posi-
tion; Myers beat Knourek 3.75 to 3.70 in a jump-off for third. Foss
went on to clear 3.90, and after a failure at 4.00 he moved to a world
record of 4.10, which he cleared first time. On remeasurement it was
found to be 4.09, still a record. The relatively small (1.73m/66kg) Foss
remains one of only two men to have set a world record in Olympic
pole vault competition.
United States
Denmark
Sweden
France
Finland
Belgium
Estonia
