The Women's Pole Vault event at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany was held between 15 August and 17 August 2009. Yelena Isinbayeva was the strong favourite prior to the competition, a position enhanced further by the withdrawal of 2008 Olympic silver medallist Jennifer Stuczynski. Anna Rogowska was the only athlete to beat Isinbayeva in the buildup to the event. Fabiana Murer and Monika Pyrek had both registered strong season's bests but had suffered from indifferent form. European Indoor medallists Yuliya Golubchikova and Silke Spiegelburg rounded out the list of the season's highest jumping athletes.Landells, Steve (2009-08-12). Women's Pole Vault - PREVIEW. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-16. Archived 2009-09-08.

In the qualifiers, the automatic progression mark of 4.60 m was not needed, as eleven athletes reached 4.55 m and Kristina Gadschiew progressed with 4.50 m. All four Russian athletes reached the final, as did all three vaulters of the host nation's team. Veteran American athlete and former world record holder Stacy Dragila closed her major championship career with a jump of 4.25 m, as she announced her intention to retire at the end of the season.Landells, Steve (2009-08-15). Event Report - Women's Pole Vault - Qualification . IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-16.

On the final day of the event, European Indoor champion Golubchikova was the first to experience disappointment, as a fall in the warm up left her unable to compete in the final. The Brazilian and British champions, Murer and Kate Dennison failed at the 4.65 m mark. Pyrek and American Chelsea Johnson passed that height on their first attempt, while Rogowska and home favourite Spiegelburg completed it on their second try. Rogowska was the only athlete to vault 4.75 m, at which point reigning champion Isinbayeva entered the competition. The Russian failed to clear the height and, after raising the bar, failed twice more and finished last in the competition.Landells, Steve (2009-08-17). Event Report - Women's Pole Vault - Final . IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-16.

Given that Isinbayeva had a season's best of 4.80 m, an opener of 4.75 m was a risky decision that back fired for the athlete, resulting in her first major championship loss since 2003 and her first ever non-medalling performance in international competition. Rogowska, who had beaten her at the London Grand Prix a month earlier, won her first gold medal at a major championships, breaking Isinbayeva's dominance of the event. Pyrek repeated her form of the 2005 Championships to take a silver medal along with Chelsea Johnson, a relatively unknown athlete competing at her first major championships. For the first time in history of World Championships in Athletics, two Polish athletes took gold and silver medal in the same event.Butcher, Pat (2009-08-17). Berlin 2009 - Day 3 SUMMARY - 17 Aug . IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-17.

Medalists GoldSilverSilver

Records World record5.05Beijing, China 18 August 2008Championship record5.01Helsinki, Finland12 August 2005World Leading4.85Rome, Italy10 July 2009African Record4.42Wesel, Germany12 June 2000Asian Record4.64New York, United States 2 June 2007North American record4.92Eugene, United States6 July 2008South American record4.82Rio de Janeiro, Brazil7 June 2009European Record5.05Beijing, China18 August 2008Oceanian Record4.65Saulheim, Germany30 June 2007

Qualification standards A standardB standard 4.45m 4.35m

Schedule Date Time RoundAugust 15, 2009 19:00 QualificationAugust 17, 2009 18:45 Final

Results

Qualification Qualification: Qualifying Performance 4.60 (Q) or at least 12 best performers (q) advance to the final.

Rank Group Name Nationality 4.104.254.404.504.55 Result Notes A Fabiana Murer - - o o o 4.55 q A Anna Rogowska - - o - o 4.55 q A Yuliya Golubchikova - - o - o 4.55 q B Silke Spiegelburg - - o o o 4.55 q B Yelena Isinbayeva - - - - o 4.55 q B Chelsea Johnson - xxo o o o 4.55 q A Kate Dennison o o o xo o 4.55 q A Anna Battke - o o xo o 4.55 q A Tatyana Polnova o xo xo xo o 4.55 q 10 B Monika Pyrek - - o xo xo 4.55 q 11 B Aleksandra Kiryashova - o o xo xxo 4.55 q 12 B Kristina Gadschiew - o o o xxx 4.50 q 13 A Anna Giordano Bruno o xo xo o xxx 4.50 14 B Jillian Schwartz - o xo xo xxx 4.50 15 A Nicole Büchler o o o xo xxx 4.50 NR 16 B Kelsie Hendry - o o xxx 4.40 16 B Jiřina Ptáčníková - o o xxx 4.40 18 B Li Ling o o xo xxx 4.40 SB 19 B Nikoléta Kiriakopoúlou o xo xo xxx 4.40 20 B Minna Nikkanen o o xxo xxx 4.40 21 B Naroa Agirre o xo xxo xxx 4.40 SB 22 A Joanna Piwowarska o o xxx 4.25 22 A Stacy Dragila - o xxx 4.25 24 A Mariánna Zaharíadi xo xo xxx 4.25 24 B Roslinda Samsu xo xo xxx 4.25 26 A Sandra-Helena Tavares xo xxo xxx 4.25 28 A Télie Mathiot o xxx 4.10 28 B Takayo Kondo o xxx 4.10 30 A Romana Maláčová xo xxx 4.10 30 B Lim Eun-Ji xo xxx 4.10 A Gao Shuying - xxx

Key: NM = no mark (i.e. no valid result), NR = National record, q = qualification by overall place, SB = Seasonal best

Final Rank Name Nationality 4.25 4.404.554.654.754.80 Result Notes Anna Rogowska - o o xo o xx- 4.75 Monika Pyrek - o o o xx- x 4.65 Chelsea Johnson - o o o xxx 4.65 SB Silke Spiegelburg - o xo xo xxx 4.65 Fabiana Murer - o o xxx 4.55 Kate Dennison o o xo xxx 4.55 Anna Battke - o xxx 4.40 Tatyana Polnova o o xxx 4.40 Aleksandra Kiryashova xo xo xxx 4.40 10 Kristina Gadschiew o xxo xxx 4.40 Yelena Isinbayeva - - - - x- xx Yuliya Golubchikova

Key: DNS = Did not start, NM = no mark (i.e. no valid result), SB = Seasonal best

References General Pole vault results. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-16. Specific