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Stacy Dragila
winning the first-ever women's Olympic pole vault gold medal
was honored by USA Track & Field as the 14th
greatest moment in U.S. track and field history in the last
25 years.
The women's
vault was a featured event of the Sydney Olympics, where
women's sports took center stage across different Olympic
venues. With her win, Dragila cemented her place in Olympic
history, entrenching herself as the top trailblazer in the
women's vault. Her gold medal helped inspire thousands of
young girls to take up pole vaulting and fueled its
explosive popularity.
Having
already won the first ever women's World Indoor title in
1997 and World Outdoor title in1999, Stacy Dragila entered
the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney as a heavy favorite to win
the gold medal. She did not disappoint.
Dragila, who
established the world record of 4.63 meters/15 feet, 2.25
inches in winning the 2000 Olympic Trials in Sacramento,
faced a scare in Sydney when she failed to clear 4.50m/14-9
on her first two tries. After sailing over that height on
her final attempt, Dragila went on to win the gold medal
with her clearance of 4.50m/15-1.
In breaking
the women's world pole vault record on five occasions in
2000 (three indoors, two outdoors), Dragila ended the season
ranked #1 in the world and was presented with USATF's
prestigious Jesse Owens Award as the nation's most
outstanding women's athlete that year.
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