David Roberts (pole vaulter)

David Luther Roberts (born July 23, 1951) is an American retired pole vaulter and practicing physician. He won a silver medal at the 1971 Pan America Games and a bronze at the 1976 Olympics. Domestically he held the NCAA title in 1971–1973 and the AAU title in 1972 and 1974. He set two world records, in 1975 and 1976.

Roberts (right) returns a borrowed pole to Bell at the 1976 Olympic Trials

David Roberts

Roberts in 1976
Personal information
Born	July 23, 1951 (1951-07-23) (age 72) Stillwater, Oklahoma, U.S.
Alma mater	Rice University
Height	188 cm (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Weight	81 kg (179 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Pole vault
Club	FTC, Gainesville
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	5.70 m (1976)[2]
Medal record Representing the  United States Olympic Games 1976 Montreal Pole vault Pan American Games 1971 Cali Pole vault

During the 1976 U.S. Olympic Trials, Roberts broke his pole. His rival and then world record holder Earl Bell lent him his pole, and Roberts won the Trials with a new world record of 5.70 m.[3] At the Olympics, he and two other athletes cleared 5.50 m. He passed at 5.55 m and his rivals failed to clear that height. He was unable to clear the next height at 5.60 m, as it had begun to rain. He finished third on the attempts count.[1]

Roberts graduated from Rice University in 1974. He graduated from the University of Florida College of Medicine in 1979, and is currently an assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine at that institution.[1]