The Wizard with the Pole – Sergei Bubka

“There has never been a great athlete who died not knowing what pain is.”- Bill Bradley

When someone says “time is the best teacher”, I just walk to them silently, and calmly ask if I can add sports to the list too. Sports unites people, cutting across race and religion, colour and creed. On a personal note, time and sports are the best teachers I have in this small world.

Being an Indian stationed in its cricket-obsessed southern part, sports has taught me of Marshall and Bradman, of Becker and Federer, of Thorpe and Phelps, of Duncan Edwards to Pele and Maradona, of Trevor Vanderputt and Shankar Laxman, of Jamier Dwyer and Dhanraj pillay, of Sergey Bubka and Carl Lewis, and many more in their days of glory who made us – the audience – slaves to their artistic work.

“Sports ideally teach discipline and commitment, they challenge you and build character for everything you do in life.” – Howir Long

If the power of human beings is depicted in the trial of their body either by running, or walking or hopping or swimming, then the name Sergey Bubka strikes the mind at a lightening speed. My heartfelt thanks to Athletics, and Ukraine for introducing me and this world to one of the greatest pole vaulters on the planet – Bubka. As the story of Wright brothers flying into air with a machine is history, so is the giant flight of this legend into air, to cross the bar all by himself.

Obstacles conquered by this great man in one of the most fetching events in athletics, the Pole Vault, are just stupendous. For the world, he seemed an athlete; for his peers, a fierce competitor; for his fans, an icon and an inspiration. When people wondered how a 6 metre pole jump would really look like, Bubka made it happen not only once, but on many different stages, crossing the legendary 6 metre mark a record 9 times in Indoors and a staggering 13 times in the Outdoors. Champions have their own ways to succeed and create an indelible impression. The way Bubka used a heavier pole facilitating a jerking force and his grip on the top of the pole to get that extra authority and clout, shows how unique and distinct he was from others.

How can I best narrate jumps more than 5.8 meters on a consistent basis? They were instances of grandeur. Lest we forget the development of the Bubka/Petrov technical model, which elucidates in its own way, the method and form of pole vaulting style, inviting the athlete to put more energy into pole while rising to the bar; for sure, his mantra for success. From having won the “Prince of Asturias award” in sports in 1991 to being honoured as the “Best pole vaulter of the last half century” by Track and Field News, Bubka has tasted many successes outside the tracks in the form of awards and felicitations.

All in all, Bubka is a legendary character, with pride and passion, of bravery and fortitude, of humbleness and generosity, and that’s the reason he could connect with people of all ages across different times and climes with unfailing certainty.