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Pole Vault Pole

|< < Prev #3183 (December 19, 2025)

Title text: My goal in life is to be personally responsible for at least one sports rule change.

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Explanation

The comic shows three hypothetical ways to cheat at pole vault, taking advantage of the fact that the rules don't limit the physical size of the pole. World Athletics' competition rules, rule 28.11, states, "The pole may be of any material or combination of materials and of any length or diameter, but the basic surface must be smooth."

The first way uses a pole that's short but with a very large diameter. It's then turned 90 degrees horizontally, so it can actually be used as a large wheel. The vaulter balances on top, then uses their feet to make it roll towards a crossbar at about the same height as the pole's diameter. When it reaches the bar, they simply jump a short amount to clear the bar.

The second method uses a pole whose length is more than twice the height of the crossbar. It's stretched over the bar and somehow attached to the ground at each end. Then the vaulter simply climbs up and over the bar.

The third method ties the ends of a very long and wide pole together, forming a large hoop that can be rolled towards the crossbar. The vaulter grabs onto the hoop, and when they reach the top they let go, and their momentum tosses them over the bar.

There are several flaws with these designs:

• Chiefly, the reason that the IAAF has not yet specified a standard measurement for poles is because there have not been any attempts to use a bizarre or potentially-advantageous design like these in sanctioned competitions. Were someone to try to do so, the authorities would take notice (though as we will see in the title text, Randall would count this as a win).

• All three designs may violate rule 28.2.2, which states that no part of the pole may touch the ground beyond the box until after the athlete has cleared the bar (there is an exception for the pole touching the landing mats after being properly planted in the box, but none of these designs would be properly planted, and all three would likely touch the ground beyond the landing mats). The first and third design may avoid this with careful timing, but it would be a deal breaker for the second. In addition:

• The first design is hampered by its size; any material sturdy enough to take a human's weight would cause a wheel that big to be considerably massive, difficult for a human to start in motion from a dead stop, dangerous if the user falls off while rolling it down the track, and capable of continuing on after the vaulter makes their jump, dislodging the bar from the vaulting frame and thereby disqualifying the attempt.

• The second design violates rule 28.2.3, which effectively prohibits climbing the pole by banning moving the upper hand or swapping which hand is the upper hand after leaving the ground. In addition, the time it takes for the pole to be sturdily embedded in the take-off & landing pits, plus the time to traverse the arch, may exceed the time limit allowed for the vault.

• The third design combines the first design's risks of the vaulter falling off and dislodging the bar with an additional violation of rule 28.1.1 that states that the use of tape may not result in the creation of any "ring" on the pole.

The title text says that Randall wants to be responsible for a sports rule change. Based on the contents of the comic, the implication is that he would go about this by exploiting some loophole that the organizers would be forced to patch.

How you could jump higher at certain places on Earth than others, for instance using a pole, was the subject of 852: Local g. Pole vaulting and unfair methods of gaining height are also discussed in the first chapter of How To.

Transcript

[At top left: A large wheel whose diameter is more than 4 times Cueball's height. Cueball is at the top, running backwards so that the wheel will roll towards a pole-vaulting crossbar at the same height.]

[At top right: A long pole is bent into an arch going over a very high pole-vaulting crossbar. Cueball is climbing up the left part, and is about 3/4 of the way to the top.]

[Along the bottom: A long pole has been bent into a circular hoop, with the ends tied together. It's rolling left-to-right towards a very high pole-vaulting crossbar, and three positions are shown. On the left Cueball is running to catch up with it. In the middle he has jumped and caught the left part of the pole. On the right, he has let go and is thrown into the air towards the crossbar.]

[Caption below the panel:]

Fun fact: There are no limits on the length or diameter of the pole in pole vault.

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