If you saw Armand “Mondo” Duplantis fly over the 6.25-meter bar at the 2024 Paris Olympics, breaking his own world record in the process, you’re probably in awe. The Swedish athlete is arguably the greatest pole vaulter of all time, and the packed stadium roared with excitement after his mega-jump. (And people on social media still aren’t over the fact that, in an undeniably sweet moment, he immediately jumped up and ran to his girlfriend to celebrate.) But aside from questioning the laws of physics, you might be wondering if pole vaulters travel to the Games with their own poles.

As a former pole vaulter, one of the most common questions I get asked about the sport is, “Do you have your own pole?” This is a complicated question because the answer is both yes and no. Most pole vaulters don’t necessarily own their own poles – they are provided by a university, club, coach or sponsor – but they do have poles that they take to every competition. In other words, in track and field competitions, in this case the Olympics, poles are not provided to athletes.

However, there is a legitimate reason why pole vaulters lug (several) of their own poles to track and field competitions. Below, we’ll explain everything you need to know.

Do pole vaulters travel with their own poles?

Yes. Pole vaulters travel with their own poles, but it’s no easy feat. Of course, we all dread waiting in line at the airport to check a bag, and the worst part is having to pay an extra baggage fee. Now imagine traveling with a set of fiberglass poles that are up to 5 meters long, in a protective case that can weigh up to 45 kilograms. Athletes can easily spend hundreds of dollars depending on the airline’s pricing, and some airlines don’t allow travelers to bring poles at all. It’s a logistical nightmare that pole vaulters – even Olympic athletes – know all too well.

Most pole vault training facilities have 30 or more different poles for athletes to choose from. This number may seem excessive, but it is actually the norm. On average, each pole vaulter personally brings five or more of these poles to a competition – the same poles they use in training.

In each competition, a pole vaulter uses two to five poles. Each pole has a different height and weight. The taller the pole, the higher the athlete will jump. Shorter poles are usually used for lower or starting heights, but the size of the pole also depends on the athlete’s weight, height, skills and personal strength.

Men typically use larger and heavier poles than women, but every pole vaulter (and every jump itself) is different.

Why do pole vaulters bring their own poles to competitions?

Options, my friend. It’s all about options. Depending on how a pole vaulter is feeling that day, the weather conditions, and the speed of the track (some tracks have more bounce than others), a longer, shorter, heavier, or lighter pole may be required. There is technically no limit to how long or short a pole can be—it can be any length or diameter—so every pole vaulter carries a selection for every situation.

In addition, to keep things in order, a judge must approve all poles that a pole vaulter plans or intends to use at the start of each competition. This is just a formality to inspect each pole and rule out illegal wrapping (the tape on a pole cannot be thicker than two layers).

Pole vaulting is an intense sport that requires tremendous skill and technique, but the art of traveling with the poles requires another level of serious commitment. The bottom line is that while pole vaulters use their own poles and travel with them to competitions, it’s child’s play compared to jumping 20 feet in the air.

Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-based freelance writer and graduate of Emory University’s Medill School of Journalism and Northwestern University. Her work has appeared in PS, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, and elsewhere. She is a mass social media consumer, former collegiate pole vaulter, and values ​​holistic wellness and non-stigmatizing reproductive care.