Pole vaulting is the highest flying of the track and field sports. Athletes choose the height of the bar and then get three chances to vault over without knocking it down. Technique and timing are everything. Competitors sprint down a track, plant the pole, and then swing up. At that point, the athlete is hanging on the pole upside down, but there’s so much forward momentum that she can launch upward and flip her body over the bar (hopefully). A soft mat on the other side breaks her fall. The world record for pole vaulting is over 19 feet. (Aspen Photo/ Shutterstock) Read More