Medalists
| Gold |
 Yelena Isinbayeva
Russia (RUS) |
| Silver |
 Jennifer Stuczynski
United States (USA) |
| Bronze |
Svetlana Feofanova
Russia (RUS) |
Records
Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows:
| World Record |
Yelena Isinbaeva (RUS) |
5.04 |
Monaco, Monaco |
29 July 2008 |
| Olympic Record |
Yelena Isinbaeva (RUS) |
4.91 |
Athens, Greece |
24 August 2004 |
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.
| Date |
Event |
Name |
Nationality |
Height |
OR |
WR |
| 18 August |
Final |
Yelena Isinbayeva |
Russia |
5.05 |
OR |
WR |
Qualifiying round
Group A
| Position |
Name |
Nationality |
4.00 |
4.15 |
4.30 |
4.40 |
4.50 |
4.60 |
Result |
Notes |
| 1 |
Yelena Isinbayeva |
Russia |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
o |
4.60Q |
|
| 2 |
Shuying Gao |
China |
- |
- |
o |
o |
o |
|
4.50q |
|
| 3 |
Svetlana Feofanova |
Russia |
- |
- |
- |
xo |
o |
|
4.50q |
|
| 3 |
April Steiner-Bennett |
United States |
- |
- |
xo |
o |
o |
|
4.50q |
|
| 5 |
Monika Pyrek |
Poland |
- |
- |
- |
o |
xo |
|
4.50q |
|
| 6 |
Carolin Tamara Hingst |
Germany |
- |
o |
xo |
o |
xo |
|
4.50q |
|
| 7 |
Naroa Agirre |
Spain |
o |
o |
o |
xo |
xxx |
|
4.40 |
=SB |
| 8 |
Nastja Ryjikh-Reiberger |
Germany |
- |
o |
xo |
xo |
xxx |
|
4.40 |
|
| 9 |
Sandra-Helena Tavares |
Portugal |
o |
xo |
xo |
xxx |
|
|
4.30 |
|
| 9 |
Joanna Piwowarska |
Poland |
xo |
o |
xo |
xxx |
|
|
4.30 |
|
| 9 |
Afrodíti Skafída |
Greece |
- |
xo |
xo |
xxx |
|
|
4.30 |
|
| 12 |
Marion Buisson |
France |
o |
o |
xx |
|
|
|
4.15 |
|
| 13 |
Yarisley Silva |
Cuba |
- |
xxo |
xxx |
|
|
|
4.15 |
|
| 13 |
Natalya Kushch |
Ukraine |
- |
xxo |
- |
xxx |
|
|
4.15 |
|
| 13 |
Ling Li |
China |
- |
xxo |
xxx |
|
|
|
4.15 |
|
| 16 |
Alejandra García |
Argentina |
xxo |
xxo |
xxx |
|
|
|
4.15 |
|
| 17 |
Vanessa Vandy |
Finland |
xo |
xxx |
|
|
|
|
4.00 |
|
| 17 |
Leila Ben Youssef |
Tunisia |
xo |
xxx |
|
|
|
|
4.00 |
|
Group B
Final
| Rank |
Name |
Nationality |
4.30 |
4.45 |
4.55 |
4.65 |
4.70 |
4.75 |
4.80 |
4.85 |
4.90 |
4.95 |
5.00 |
5.05 |
Result |
Notes |
| 1 |
Yelena Isinbayeva |
Russia |
- |
- |
- |
- |
o |
- |
- |
o |
- |
xxo |
- |
xxo |
5.05 |
WR |
| 2 |
Jennifer Stuczynski |
United States |
- |
- |
o |
- |
o |
xo |
o |
- |
xxx |
|
|
|
4.80 |
|
| 3 |
Svetlana Feofanova |
Russia |
- |
o |
o |
xo |
- |
o |
xxx |
|
|
|
|
|
4.75 |
=SB |
| 4 |
Yulia Golubchikova |
Russia |
- |
o |
o |
xo |
o |
xo |
xxx |
|
|
|
|
|
4.75 |
PB |
| 5 |
Monika Pyrek |
Poland |
- |
o |
o |
o |
xo |
xxx |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.70 |
|
| 6 |
Carolin Tamara Hingst |
Germany |
o |
o |
o |
xxo |
xxx |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.65 |
SB |
| 7 |
Silke Spiegelburg |
Germany |
o |
xo |
o |
xxo |
xxx |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.65 |
|
| 8 |
April Steiner-Bennett |
United States |
o |
o |
o |
xxx |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.55 |
|
| 9 |
Vanessa Boslak |
France |
o |
o |
xo |
xxx |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.55 |
SB |
| 10 |
Fabiana Murer |
Brazil |
- |
o |
- |
xxx |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.45 |
|
| 10 |
Anna Rogowska |
Poland |
- |
o |
xxx |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.45 |
|
| 12 |
Shuying Gao |
China |
o |
xxo |
xxx |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.45 |
|
|
