pole vault is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible stick (which today is usually made either of fiberglass or carbon fiber) as an aid to leap over a bar. pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient greeks, as well as the cretans and celts. it has been a full medal event at the olympics since the summer olympics at 1896 for men and 2000 for women. it started in the ancient greece.