The first world record in the men's pole vault was recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1912.
As of June 21, 2009, 71 world records have been ratified by the IAAF (now World Athletics) in the event. Since 2000, World Athletics makes no distinction between indoor and outdoor settings when establishing pole vault world records. This new rule was not applied retroactively. The introduction in the early 1950s of flexible vaulting poles made from composites such as fiberglass or carbon fiber allowed vaulters to achieve greater height. The present record of 6.23 m, established in 2023 in Eugene (Oregon), belongs to the Swedish athlete Armand Duplantis.