Sergei Bubka

Sergei Bubka is a Soviet and Ukrainian former pole vaulter. He represented the Soviet Union until 1991. Bubka was twice named Athlete of the Year by Track & Field News, and in 2012 was one of 24 athletes inducted as inaugural members of the International Association of Athletics Federations Hall of Fame. Bubka won six consecutive IAAF World Championships, an Olympic gold medal and broke the world record for men's pole vault 35 times. He was the first pole vaulter to clear 6.0 meters and 6.10 meters. He held the indoor world record of 6.15 meters, set on 21 February 1993 in Donetsk, USSR for almost 21 years until France's Renaud Lavillenie cleared 6.16 meters on 15 February 2014 at the same meet in the same arena. He is the outdoor world record holder at 6.14 meters, a record he has held since 31 July 1994, though since adopting rule 260.18a in 2000 the IAAF regards Lavillenie's record as the official "world record". Bubka is Senior Vice President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), serving since 2007, and President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, serving since 2005. He is an Honorary Member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), having been involved since 1996.