World Record: 4.30m Lee Barnes, United States Fresno (USA) April 28, 1928
Olympic Record: 4.09 Frank Foss, United States Antwerp (BEL) August 20, 1920
Barnes had improved Carr’s 1927 world record of 4.27 to 4.30 in April,
and had won the US Trials – on countback from Droegemuller and Carr
– with 4.11. After nine men made 3.66 in qualifying, the final was start-
ed at 3.50, but 3.80 was needed to eliminate Julius Müller (GER).
When the bar was raised to 4.10, only five men were left, with Victor
Pickard the only non-American. After clearing 3.95 on the third
attempt, Carr and Droegemuller both made 4.10 first time, and then
watched as the other three failed three times. Third to fifth was decided
by a jump-off, with Barnes placing fifth – very much an off-day for a
man who cleared 4.11 in 10 competitions in 1928. At 4.20m Carr
cleared first time to take the gold medal.
United States
Canada
Japan
Sweden
Hungary
Germany
Denmark
Great Britain
Spain
Belgium
Netherlands
Greece
France
