Who would vault higher?

[souleman]

Oh Guys! Please forgive me but I just can't resist. Who would jump the highest? .........................................CHUCK NORRIS

[joebro391]

this is certainly a toughy, and part of me wants to sit down and analyses the whole thing, for each athlete, but i keep coming around to the fact that there's no way of knowing how each person's body could handle the event (this sport uses so many uncommon muscles). So i'll give a long short:

Usain Bolt: only speed, good for nothing else he'd also probably be too scared. No way he'd be able to invert (for mental and physical reasons). He wouldn't be able to jump up at take-off, and would drive in TOO much and never get any depth into the pit.

Dwight Phillips: I really like the idea of his speed and take-off, with a pole in his hand. He'd at least be able to take off, tall, and probably get one so pretty big poles. (how tall is he??)

Damian Walters: again, like golfdane, i saw him a few years back, and said "he needs to get a pole in his hand". being a former gymnast, i know what he's capable of. He'll probably have the best all-around ability, but i don't know if he's really short (like most great gymnasts), so i don't know how limiting that would be for him (and i only say because i don't think he's as fast as dial). I do like the comment about him being able to be best "in the short term", i feel he'd certainly be able to pick it up the easiest (parkourists/gymnasts are VERY adaptable).

Dayron Robles: don't know too much about him. I think he'd definitely make a good decathlon-pole-vaulter, but not sure about the long run. I get what VP's saying about hurdling as an indicator (not that i've ever gone near one haha), but i don't know how true that his for an athlete beyond high school.


FINAL PICKINGS

In the long run: Dwight Philips, Damian Walters, Dayron Robles, Usain Bolt (in that order)

-6P

[VTechVaulter]

bolt is 6'5 and ive heard has long jumped around 27 ft. so i think his take off would be just fine

[joebro391]

bolt is 6'5 and ive heard has long jumped around 27 ft. so i think his take off would be just fine

really? i never heard about that long-jump, but that might be just due to speed and not a good penaltum-step...can he do any pull ups? haha

[VaultPurple]

I'd bet he is more athletic than you are thinking. Most the short sprinters I know have over 40 inch verticals and are pretty strong. And I have a feeling that being from Jamaica most of the strength training he did when younger was all body weight related like push up sand pull up due to lack of facilities.

[joebro391]

I'd bet he is more athletic than you are thinking. Most the short sprinters I know have over 40 inch verticals and are pretty strong. And I have a feeling that being from Jamaica most of the strength training he did when younger was all body weight related like push up sand pull up due to lack of facilities.

hmmm....well he's certainly looking more able, each post. -6P

[starkey480]

i would say bolt... if he can long jump 27 feet, combined with his speed combined with his reach, he could get on massive poles.

[golfdane]

I would not characterize Walters as small. He's 180cm, 76 kg according to this site: http://figfront.lx2.sportcentric.com/athletes/1929

[ClintonMagus]

Usain would let go of the pole early to acknowledge the cheers of the crowd, and would fall into the box on his butt...