World Record: 4.77m Cornelius Warmerdam, United States Modesto, United States May 23, 1942
Olympic Record: 4.35 Earle Meadows, United States Berlin, Germany August 5, 1936
The war years deprived Cornelius Warmerdam (USA) of the opportu-
nity of winning two gold medals. The first man to clear 15 feet (4.57),
Warmerdam was generally considered the best ever vaulter prior to the
advent of Sergey Bubka. By 1948 Warmerdam was coaching, and the
best vault of 1948 was 10cm below 15’, coming in the US Trials where
Richmond “Boo” Morcom beat Guinn Smith on countback, with Bob
Richards third after clearing 4.42.
Morcom had an ankle injury in London but qualified at 4.00 and then
cleared 3.95 in the final, before gambling on clearing 4.20. In the rainy
conditions, which left the runway waterlogged, this was a tactical error
which left him watching Kataja, the leader, fight Smith and Richards
for the medals. After Kataja and Richards missed three times at 4.30,
Smith, who was suffering the effects of a knee injury, levered himself
over the bar to maintain the USA’s winning streak in the event.
United States
Finland
Norway
Sweden
Puerto Rico
France
Greece
Iceland
Peru
Great Britain
