Charles Dvorak

Charles Edward Dvorak ( born November 27, 1878 in Chicago ( Illinois), USA, † December 18, 1969 in Seattle, Washington) was an American track and field athlete and Olympic champion.

Dvorak was a student at the University of Michigan and a member of the local athletics teams. His special discipline was the pole vault. 1900 won his university students with him the championship of the Western Conference in track and saw itself confirmed by the fact, to send some of their athletes to the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. Among the four selected athletes also Charles Dvorak belonged.

With four compatriots he wanted to compete on Saturday, 14 July, to compete in the pole vault, but the organizers moved the staging on Sunday, July 15. Dvorak was a devout man, whose religion forbade any sport on a Sunday. Together with Bascom Johnson and Daniel Horton he opted not to participate and was brought to a promising medal chance. In one of two held in the following days races for revenge Dvorak took second place with a height of 3.35 m behind Daniel Horton (3.45 m). Thus both jumped higher than the Olympic champion Irving Baxter (3.30 m). Bascom Johnson also jumped 3.38 m higher in his rematch. However, official recognition did not find this competitions.

1901 and 1903 Dvorak won the championship of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU ), which the U.S. Championships corresponded. In 1904 he received a second chance at the Olympic Games 1904 in St. Louis. He got in the pole vault with an undisputed victory 3.50m, which new Olympic record meant. He had this 15 cm ahead of its competitors, which for the places 2-5 fought out a stinging behind him.

• II Summer Olympic Games in 1900, Paris Pole Vault - reported but not started

Charles Dvorak was the first pole vaulter the world-class, who used a bamboo pole.