TitleMr.
Name:Sergei
Surname:Bubka
Nationality:UKR  Ukraine
Date of Birth:04/12/1963
Function:Athlete
 
Biography:
Ukrainian pole vaulter, who broke the world record in pole vaulting more than 30 times. He won the gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Born in Voroshilovgrad, Ukraine, Bubka was a good track and field athlete in the 100-m and long jump events but became a world-class competitor when he turned to the pole vault. In 1983, virtually unknown in international meets, he won the world championship at Helsinki, Finland, and the following year he set his first world record, clearing 5 m 75 cm (19 ft 23 in). Until the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in late 1991, Bubka competed for Soviet teams. The Soviet sports system rewarded athletes for setting new world records, and he became noted for establishing new records by slim amounts, sometimes as little as a centimeter higher. This ability allowed him to collect frequent bonus payments and made Bubka an attraction at track and field meets. In the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, Bubka won the gold medal as expected, but there was disappointment that he failed to set a world record. By the end of the 1988 season, however, he became the first pole vaulter to clear 6 m (19 ft 8 in). In March 1991, at an indoor meet in San Sebastián, Spain, he was the first to clear 6.1 m (20 ft); later in the year he exceeded the height in an outdoor meet. He was expected to win a second gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, and caused a sensation when he failed to qualify for the competition.
 
Related Database Events:
Olympic Games30/9/2000
Pole Vault19/8/1993
Athletics19/9/1992
Athletics15/3/1991
Athletics13/7/1985

         
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