A vaulter is someone who vaults, which means leaping over something with the help of their hands or a pole. In track and field, pole vaulters sprint down a runway carrying a long, flexible pole, plant it in a box in the ground, and use it to launch themselves high over a bar that might be 15 feet in the air or higher. The pole bends dramatically as they push off, storing energy like a giant spring before flinging them skyward.

Vaulting also appears in gymnastics, where vaulters run toward a padded table, use their hands to push off explosively, and perform flips and twists in the air before landing. Every vault requires precise timing: you have to hit the springboard at exactly the right spot, place your hands correctly, and push at just the right moment.

Whether clearing a vaulting horse in gym class or soaring over a crossbar with a pole, a vaulter transforms running speed into spectacular flight.