Stacy Dragila: Vaulting the barriers

On the Podium

Men's pole vaulting has been part of the Olympics since the inaugural modern Games in 1896 - but there was no women's competition until more than a century later. When America's Stacy Dragila became the first woman to win gold in the event at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, it was the culmination of years of campaigning from athletes and coaches, who'd been training for an opportunity they were never sure they'd get. As she stood on the podium, Stacy thought about the criticism she had and her fellow competitors had faced - from disapproving comments on their appearance to being repeatedly told their bodies weren't strong enough for the sport.

Stacy tells Eliza Skinner and Ed Harry about the "hot mess" that was her introduction to the sport, when her athletics coach in Idaho decided to see if her team of multi-event athletes might have an aptitude for vaulting. She recalls her journey from tentatively vaulting into a long-jump pit to setting her sights on an Olympic medal that didn't yet exist, and the battles that had to be fought to gain acceptance from athletics authorities in both the US and internationally.

She also shares the unique mental and emotional experiences that come from landing a perfect jump, and reveals a few things about the event that spectators might not appreciate. Now her competitive days are over, Stacy's devoted herself to introducing children in Idaho to pole vaulting, and she explains why she finds training reluctant or unlikely athletes to be the most rewarding experience of all.

As the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics approach, delve into our archive to discover more stories of extraordinary sporting journeys. Basketball champion Breanna Stewart and shot-putter Raven Saunders explain why they use the platform sport gives them to act as advocates. Swimmer Anastasia Pagonis and rower Brigit Skarstein share how sport helped them rebuild their futures after life-changing events, while Markus Rogan and Maarten van der Weijden talk about the lives they have found after leaving competition behind. Multi-sport stars like Oksana Masters and Jana Pittman reveal what it's like to compete at both the summer and winter Games. There's stories of memorable victories, like the moment high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share his gold medal, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo putting everything on the line to reach the top step of the podium. Plus, the triumphs nobody predicted, including Molly Seidel's shock marathon bronze, and the day Anna Kiesenhofer rode away from cycling's biggest names to claim gold in Tokyo.