Athletics at the 2004 Athina Summer Games:

The biggest surprise in qualifying was the failures of Okkert Brits (RSA), 2003 World Championships runner-up, and Dmitry Markov (AUS), 2001 World Champion. In the final seven vaulters cleared 5.75 (18-10¼). Most passed to 5.85 (19-2¼), but Igor Pavlov (RUS) cleared 5.80 (19-0¼), while Danny Ecker (GER) went out at that height, and Lars Börgeling (GER) and Derek Miles (USA) had misses at the height before passing to the next height. This left six vaulters remaining at 5.85 (19-2¼). Pavlov missed twice and passed to 5.90 (19-4¼). Börgeling and Miles missed their attempts and went out. Three vaulters cleared – Giuseppe Gibilisco (ITA), 2003 World Champion, led with his first attempt clearance, while Americans Tim Mack and Toby Stevenson got over on their second efforts. At 5.90 (19-4¼) Mack and Stevenson cleared on their first tries. Gibilisco missed once and passed to the next height, while Pavlov missed once and was out. At 5.95 (19-6¼), Mack had a third attempt clearance to win the gold medal, Stevenson winning silver and Gibilisco the bronze. Stevenson wore a helmet, the only top international vaulter to do so, keeping a promise he had made to his parents while in high school.