Switzerland’s top pole vaulter, Angelica Moser, and national record holder with a vault of 4.88m cleared in July 2024, uses between ten and twelve different poles during competitions, including those for warm-ups.
“There are different lengths, but the poles I use in competition are all 4.45 meters long,” explains the athlete from Andelfingen. “They vary in stiffness. The more flexible ones are for training, and during competition, the poles usually get stiffer as the bar height increases.”
Here’s how she breaks down her jump into three key phases:
The Run-up
“It’s a sprint of about 37 meters, and it’s crucial to build up as much energy as possible. The more speed you generate during this phase, the more energy you can transfer to the pole.
The run-up used to be my weak point. Since I started training with Adrian Rothenbühler (editor’s note: the former coach of the Kambundji sisters and the women’s 4x100m relay, working with Angelica since 2022), we’ve focused a lot on sprint technique.
Thanks to that work, I now produce more kinetic energy at take-off, which I can transfer to the pole to propel myself over the bar. The run-up is absolutely key—you can often tell by your speed whether or not you’ll be able to clear a high bar.”
The Zero Point
“The zero point is where the take-off box is—it’s often made of metal. That’s where we plant the pole. It’s a 20-centimeter-deep hole, and it’s at this moment that we transfer all our energy into the pole.
You can adjust the position of the crossbar from 0 (right above the box) to 80 centimeters forward, in the direction of the landing zone, to optimize the jump trajectory.
Usually, we move the bar between 50 and 80 centimeters. That depends on wind conditions, how you’re feeling, and which pole you’re using. For example, if I go for a stiffer pole, I’ll usually move the bar slightly forward.”
The Take-off and Flight
“At take-off, you have to channel all your energy straight into the pole—not to the left or right—so that you can harness it during the ‘inversion’ phase. That’s the moment when your head goes down and your body flips over the bar mid-air.
It’s a very technical movement, and my background in gymnastics gives me a real advantage over my competitors.
Once you’ve cleared the bar and you see it hasn’t fallen—those few seconds in free fall before landing on the mat—it’s exhilarating! You can already start celebrating.”
