Robert schmitt wrote:I was going to post a topic on what Bubka was rumored to have jumped unoffically. So it's 21 something, anyone know?
The German national vault coach told me that Bubka's best practice vault is only 6.20. Right above his WR. He did say though that he wouldn't believe a mark without seeing it in person or on tape and he saw that one. He's seen him take shots at 6.40 (21') in practice but he never got close to it. His opinion was that Bubka would put the bungee up as high as the standards would go and jump at it for the intimidation factor when training with other athletes. Hence, the video I've seen of him jumping at 6.30 two days before he pulled out of the '96 olympics. Every other vaulter you see in the background is in awe, but he ain't getting close to it. It was maybe a 6.00 clearance (still great), but a far cry from 21 feet.
As far as his speed, the current SWT head coach was the soviet national sprint coach during the 80's & early 90s. She said the stories of Bubka running a 10.1 are an urban legend. She said he may have run a 10.4, maybe 10.3 with a hurricane blowing behind him, but that was about it. He's all about efficiency at takeoff, baby.
"You have some interesting coaching theories that seem to have little potential."