What field event uses a flexible pole to clear a bar?

The field event that uses a flexible pole to clear a bar is the pole vault.

In pole vaulting, an athlete sprints along a runway, plants the pole in a box, and uses the pole’s stored bending energy to rise over a crossbar. The athlete must clear the bar without dislodging it, then land on a padded mat. The winner is the competitor who clears the greatest height, with countback rules resolving most ties.

Early vaulters used solid ash and hickory poles, while bamboo appeared in the early 20th century. Fiberglass poles became influential in the 1950s and 1960s, allowing greater bend and energy return. Pole vaulting was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 for men; the women’s event became an Olympic medal event in 2000. It is a vertical jump, unlike the long jump and triple jump.