Ersu Şaşma finishes 5th in Olympic pole vault

A Remarkable Journey

Ersu Şaşma, who previously competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and finished 10th, represented Turkey in the pole vault event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Historic Performance

The Turkish record-holder and the first European medalist in pole vaulting for Turkey, Şaşma advanced to the finals in Paris with successful jumps of 5.40, 5.60, 5.70, and 5.75 meters. Entering the finals in 11th place, he competed against 12 athletes for a medal.

Final Round Highlights

In the final, Şaşma cleared 5.50 and 5.70 meters on his first attempts. Holding the national record with a jump of 5.90 meters, he successfully cleared 5.80 meters on his first try, gaining an advantage in the rankings. He then cleared 5.85 meters on his first attempt. At the 5.90-meter mark, seven athletes vied for medals. Şaşma, one of three athletes with three attempts at this height, chose to skip his second attempt after failing the first. He raised the bar to 5.95 meters for a medal shot.

The Final Attempts

With two attempts at 5.95 meters, Şaşma was unsuccessful on his first try. Despite giving his best effort, he failed to clear the height on his second attempt as well, finishing fifth in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.