# Women's pole vault world record progression

The first world record in the women's pole vault was recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1994. The inaugural record, 4.05 metres by Sun Caiyun of China set in 1992, was the world's best mark as of December 31, 1994.
As of June 21, 2009, the IAAF has ratified 54 world records in the event.

## Pre-IAAF Record Progression

The first mark shows the measurement system in use at the time of the jump, the second mark shows the conversion. Marks set in the USA during this era were always measured in imperial measurements. Most of the world and IAAF recognize marks in metric measurements.
| Mark | Athlete | Nation | Venue | Date |
| 4 ft 9 in (1.44 m) | Ruth Spencer | United States | Painesville | 14 May 1910 |
| 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m) | Ruth Spencer | United States | Painesville | 15 May 1911 |
| 4 ft 11 in (1.49 m) | Ruth Spencer | United States | Painesville | 15 May 1911 |
| 5 ft 1 in (1.54 m) | Ruth Spencer | United States | Painesville | 15 May 1911 |
| 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) | Ruth Spencer | United States | Painesville | 15 May 1911 |
| 5 ft 3 in (1.6 m) | Ruth Spencer | United States | Painesville | 15 May 1911 |
| 5 ft 4 in (1.62 m) | Ruth Spencer | United States | Painesville | 15 May 1911 |
| 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | Ruth Spencer | United States | Painesville | 15 May 1911 |
| 5 ft 6 in (1.67 m) | Ruth Spencer | United States | Painesville | 15 May 1911 |
| 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) | Ruth Spencer | United States | Painesville | 15 May 1911 |
| 5 ft 73⁄4 in (1.72 m) | Ruth Spencer | United States | Painesville | 15 May 1911 |
| 5 ft 8 in (1.72 m) | Hazel Hutaff | United States | Rock Hill | 3 April 1915 |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | Hazel Hutaff | United States | Rock Hill | 3 April 1915 |
| 5 ft 93⁄4 in (1.77 m) | Hazel Hutaff | United States | Rock Hill | 3 April 1915 |
| 5 ft 10 in (1.77 m) | Lois Tatum | United States | Tallahassee | 13 April 1915 |
| =5 ft 10 in (1.77 m) | Emma Lee King | United States | Tallahassee | 13 April 1915 |
| 6 ft 01⁄2 in (1.84 m) | Lois Tatum | United States | Tallahassee | 13 April 1915 |
| =6 ft 01⁄2 in (1.84 m) | Eva Fisk | United States | Lincoln | 13 May 1915 |
| 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | Eva Fisk | United States | Lincoln | 13 May 1915 |
| 6 ft 3 in (1.9 m) | Eva Fisk | United States | Lincoln | 13 May 1915 |
| =6 ft 3 in (1.9 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 6 June 1915 |
| 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 6 June 1915 |
| 6 ft 5 in (1.95 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 6 June 1915 |
| 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 6 June 1915 |
| 6 ft 7 in (2 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 6 June 1915 |
| 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 6 June 1915 |
| 6 ft 9 in (2.05 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 6 June 1915 |
| 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 6 June 1915 |
| 6 ft 11 in (2.1 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 6 June 1915 |
| 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 6 June 1915 |
| 7 ft 1 in (2.15 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 6 June 1915 |
| 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 6 June 1915 |
| 7 ft 3 in (2.2 m) | Mildred Carl | United States | New Haven | 3 June 1919 |
| 2.25 m (7 ft 4+1⁄2 in) | Elva Hintze | Germany | Nürnberg | 17 July 1921 |
| 2.30 m (7 ft 6+1⁄2 in) | Helene Henneke | Germany | Nürnberg | 17 July 1921 |
| 2.35 m (7 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | Helene Henneke | Germany | Nürnberg | 17 July 1921 |
| =2.35 m (7 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | Yelena Goldobina | Soviet Union | Moskva | 7 September 1924 |
| 2.53 m (8 ft 3+1⁄2 in) | Zoya Romanova | Soviet Union | Moskva | 26 August 1935 |
| 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) | Diane Bragg | United States | Philadelphia | 6 July 1952 |
| =8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) | Brenda Walker | New Zealand | Wairoa | 8 Jan 1969 |
| 8 ft 61⁄2 in (2.6 m) i | Irene Spieker | United States | Louisville | 10 February 1978 |
| 8 ft 7 in (2.61 m) i | Irene Spieker | United States | Louisville | 9 February 1979 |
| 9 ft 0 in (2.74 m) i | Irene Spieker | United States | Louisville | 9 February 1979 |
| 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m) i | Irene Spieker | United States | Louisville | 9 February 1979 |
| 10 ft 01⁄4 in (3.05 m) i | Irene Spieker | United States | Louisville | 9 February 1979 |
| 10 ft 01⁄4 in (3.05 m) | Jana Edwards | United States | | * June 1983 |
| 10 ft 6 in (3.2 m) | Jana Edwards | United States | Chicago | 11 June 1983 |
| 10 ft 7 in (3.22 m) | Jana Edwards | United States | Cleveland | 18 June 1983 |
| 11 ft 1 in (3.37 m) | Jana Edwards | United States | Cleveland | 18 June 1983 |
| 11 ft 6 in (3.5 m) | Jana Edwards | United States | Fort Wayne | 23 July 1983 |
| 11 ft 91⁄2 in (3.59 m) | Jana Edwards | United States | Fort Wayne | 23 July 1983 |
| 3.72 m (12 ft 2+1⁄4 in) | Zhang Chunzhen | China | Guangzhou | 20 April 1988 |
| 3.73 m (12 ft 2+3⁄4 in) | Shao Jingmen | China | Guangzhou | 4 May 1988 |
| 3.75 m (12 ft 3+1⁄2 in) | Zhang Chunzhen | China | Nanjing | 10 June 1988 |
| 3.76 m (12 ft 4 in) | Zhou Minxin | China | Fuzhou | 22 April 1989 |
| 3.8 m (12 ft 5+1⁄2 in) | Zhang Chunzhen | China | Guangzhou | 9 September 1989 |
| 3.81 m (12 ft 6 in) | Zhang Chunzhen | China | Guangzhou | 24 March 1990 |
| 3.83 m (12 ft 6+3⁄4 in) | Sun Caiyun | China | Guangzhou | 24 March 1991 |
| =3.83 m (12 ft 6+3⁄4 in) | Zhang Chunzhen | China | Guangzhou | 24 March 1991 |
| 4.00 m (13 ft 1+1⁄4 in) | Zhang Chunzhen | China | Guangzhou | 24 March 1991 |
| 4.02 m (13 ft 2+1⁄4 in) | Zhang Chunzhen | China | Beijing | 5 June 1991 |
| 4.05 m (13 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | Zhang Chunzhen | China | Guangzhou | 10 August 1991 |

## IAAF Record Progression

| Mark | Athlete | Nation | Venue | Date | # |
| 4.05 m (13 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | Sun Caiyun | China | Nanjing, China | 21 May 1992 | 1 |
| 4.08 m (13 ft 4+1⁄2 in) | Sun Caiyun | China | Nanjing, China | 18 May 1995 | 2 |
| 4.08 m (13 ft 4+1⁄2 in) | Zhong Guiqing | China | Nanjing, China | 18 May 1995 | 1 |
| 4.10 m (13 ft 5+1⁄4 in) | Daniela Bártová | Czech Republic | Ljubljana, Slovenia | 21 May 1995 | 1 |
| 4.12 m (13 ft 6 in) | Daniela Bártová | Czech Republic | Duisburg, Germany | 18 June 1995 | 2 |
| 4.13 m (13 ft 6+1⁄2 in) | Daniela Bártová | Czech Republic | Wesel, Germany | 24 June 1995 | 3 |
| 4.14 m (13 ft 6+3⁄4 in) | Daniela Bártová | Czech Republic | Gateshead, England | 2 July 1995 | 4 |
| 4.15 m (13 ft 7+1⁄4 in) | Daniela Bártová | Czech Republic | Ostrava, Czech Republic | 6 July 1995 | 5 |
| 4.16 m (13 ft 7+3⁄4 in) | Daniela Bártová | Czech Republic | Feldkirch, Austria | 14 July 1995 | 6 |
| 4.17 m (13 ft 8 in) | Daniela Bártová | Czech Republic | Feldkirch, Austria | 15 July 1995 | 7 |
| 4.18 m (13 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | Andrea Müller | Germany | Zittau, Germany | 5 August 1995 | 1 |
| 4.20 m (13 ft 9+1⁄4 in) | Daniela Bártová | Czech Republic | Köln, Germany | 18 August 1995 | 8 |
| 4.21 m (13 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | Daniela Bártová | Czech Republic | Linz, Austria | 22 August 1995 | 9 |
| 4.22 m (13 ft 10 in) | Daniela Bártová | Czech Republic | Salgótarján, Hungary | 11 September 1995 | 10 |
| 4.25 m (13 ft 11+1⁄4 in) | Emma George | Australia | Melbourne, Australia | 30 November 1995 | 1 |
| 4.28 m (14 ft 1⁄2 in) | Emma George | Australia | Perth, Australia | 17 December 1995 | 2 |
| 4.30 m (14 ft 1+1⁄4 in) | Emma George | Australia | Perth, Australia | 28 January 1996 | 3 |
| 4.41 m (14 ft 5+1⁄2 in) | Emma George | Australia | Perth, Australia | 28 January 1996 | 4 |
| 4.42 m (14 ft 6 in) | Emma George | Australia | Reims, France | 29 June 1996 | 5 |
| 4.45 m (14 ft 7 in) | Emma George | Australia | Sapporo, Japan | 14 July 1996 | 6 |
| 4.50 m (14 ft 9 in) | Emma George | Australia | Melbourne, Australia | 8 February 1997 | 7 |
| 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in) | Emma George | Australia | Melbourne, Australia | 20 February 1997 | 8 |
| 4.57 m (14 ft 11+3⁄4 in) | Emma George | Australia | Auckland, New Zealand | 21 February 1998 | 9 |
| 4.58 m (15 ft 1⁄4 in) | Emma George | Australia | Melbourne, Australia | 14 March 1998 | 10 |
| 4.59 m (15 ft 1⁄2 in) | Emma George | Australia | Brisbane, Australia | 21 March 1998 | 11 |
| 4.60 m (15 ft 1 in) | Emma George | Australia | Sydney, Australia | 20 February 1999 | 12 |
| 4.60 m (15 ft 1 in) | Stacy Dragila | United States | Sevilla, Spain | 21 August 1999 | 1 |
| i 4.60 m (15 ft 1 in) | Stacy Dragila | United States | Pocatello, U.S. | 19 Feb 2000 | 2 |
| i 4.62 m (15 ft 1+3⁄4 in) | Stacy Dragila | United States | Atlanta, U.S. | 3 Mar 2000 | 3 |
| 4.63 m (15 ft 2+1⁄4 in) | Stacy Dragila | United States | Sacramento, U.S. | 23 July 2000 | 4 |
| i 4.63 m (15 ft 2+1⁄4 in) | Stacy Dragila | United States | New York City, U.S. | 2 Feb 2001 | 5 |
| i 4.64 m (15 ft 2+1⁄2 in) | Svetlana Feofanova | Russia | Dortmund, Germany | 11 February 2001 | 1 |
| i 4.66 m (15 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | Stacy Dragila | United States | Pocatello, U.S. | 17 Feb 2001 | 6 |
| i 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) | Stacy Dragila | United States | Pocatello, U.S. | 17 Feb 2001 | 7 |
| 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) | Stacy Dragila | United States | Pocatello, U.S. | 27 April 2001 | 8 |
| 4.71 m (15 ft 5+1⁄4 in) | Stacy Dragila | United States | Stanford, U.S. | 9 June 2001 | 9 |
| 4.81 m (15 ft 9+1⁄4 in) | Stacy Dragila | United States | Stanford, U.S. | 9 June 2001 | 10 |
| 4.82 m (15 ft 9+3⁄4 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Gateshead, England | 13 July 2003 | 1 |
| i 4.83 m (15 ft 10 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Donets'k, Ukraine | 15 February 2004 | 2 |
| i 4.85 m (15 ft 10+3⁄4 in) | Svetlana Feofanova | Russia | Athens, Greece | 22 February 2004 | 2 |
| i 4.86 m (15 ft 11+1⁄4 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Budapest, Hungary | 6 March 2004 | 3 |
| 4.87 m (15 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Gateshead, England | 27 June 2004 | 4 |
| 4.88 m (16 ft 0 in) | Svetlana Feofanova | Russia | Heraklion, Greece | 4 July 2004 | 3 |
| 4.89 m (16 ft 1⁄2 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Birmingham, England | 25 July 2004 | 5 |
| 4.90 m (16 ft 3⁄4 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | London, England | 30 July 2004 | 6 |
| 4.91 m (16 ft 1+1⁄4 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Athens, Greece | 24 August 2004 | 7 |
| 4.92 m (16 ft 1+1⁄2 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Brussels, Belgium | 3 September 2004 | 8 |
| 4.93 m (16 ft 2 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Lausanne, Switzerland | 5 July 2005 | 9 |
| 4.95 m (16 ft 2+3⁄4 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Madrid, Spain | 16 July 2005 | 10 |
| 4.96 m (16 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | London, England | 22 July 2005 | 11 |
| 5.00 m (16 ft 4+3⁄4 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | London, England | 22 July 2005 | 12 |
| 5.01 m (16 ft 5 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Helsinki, Finland | 9 August 2005 | 13 |
| 5.03 m (16 ft 6 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Rome, Italy | 11 July 2008 | 14 |
| 5.04 m (16 ft 6+1⁄4 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Fontvieille, Monaco | 29 July 2008 | 15 |
| 5.05 m (16 ft 6+3⁄4 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Beijing, China | 18 August 2008 | 16 |
| 5.06 m (16 ft 7 in) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | Zürich, Switzerland | 28 August 2009 | 17 |