 The modern event sees athletes run down a strip of track , plant the pole in the metal box , and vault over the horizontal bar before letting go of the pole and falling backwards onto the landing mattress . While earlier versions used wooden , metal or bamboo , modern poles are generally made from artificial materials such as fibreglass or carbon fibre . The pole vault has been an Olympic event since 1896 for men , but it was over 100 years later that the first women 's world championship competition was held at the 1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships . The first women 's Olympic pole vaulting competition occurred in 2000 . 
 The modern event <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>sees</mark></a> athletes run down a strip of track , plant the pole in the metal box , and vault over the horizontal bar before letting go of the pole and falling backwards onto the landing mattress . While earlier versions used wooden , metal or bamboo , modern poles are generally made from artificial materials such as fibreglass or carbon fibre . The pole vault <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>has</mark></a> been an Olympic event since 1896 for men , but it was over 100 years later that the first women <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>world championship competition was held at the 1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships . The first women <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>Olympic pole vaulting competition occurred in 2000 . 
Da modern event see athletes run down a strip of track , plant the pole in the metal box , and vault ova tdahorizontal bar before letting go of the pole and fallin backwards onto the landing mattress . While earlier versions used wooden , metal or bamboo , modern poles are generally made from artificial materials such as fibreglass or carbon fibre . Thdaole vault have been an Olympic event since 1896 fa men , but it was oova100 yrs later that the first women  world championship competition was held at theda97 IAAF World Indoor Championships . The first women  Olympic pole vaulting competition occurred in 2000 .