When Pole Vaulting Goes Wrong

In pole vaulting, the eponymous pole is designed to bend, not break. Sometimes it does both. At the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Russian pole vaulter Dmitry Starodubtsev was attempting 5.75 meters — roughly six inches off the eventual winning height — when his pole snapped like a strand of uncooked vermicelli. This is why they rarely use uncooked vermicelli in pole vaulting. [ Eurosport]