World Record: 5.90m Serhiy Bubka, Soviet Union London, Great Britain 13th July 1984
Olympic Record: 5.78 Władysław Kozakiewicz, Poland Moscow, Soviet Union 30th July 1980
Sergey Bubka, the setter of seven world records in 1984, and
Konstantin Volkov, were the two best in the world, but the Soviet boy-
cott deprived them of possible medals. The US magazine Track and
Field News reviewed the event as “the USA versus France”, with
Vigneron, Bell and Tully the likely medallists. At 5.60 these three and
Pierre Quinon were the only men left. Quinon and Tully passed and the
other two cleared first time. Then at 5.65 Tully cleared after Quinon
had failed once. The Frenchman then passed on to 5.70 along with the
other two. Quinon, with only two attempts available at 5.70, cleared
first time, while Bell and Vigneron failed, to finish equal third.
Tully already had the silver, but watched Quinon clear 5.75 first
time. The American passed to 5.80 as a first time clearance at 5.75 by
him would not be enough to win. Tully had made 5.81 at the same facility
in the US Trials, but on this occasion 5.80 was just too much.
France
United States
Finland
Switzerland
Italy
Spain
Chinaa
Great Britain
Brazil
Japan
Sweden
US Virgin Islands
Puerto Rico
