Lars Börgeling
A German pole vault champion who consistently soared among the world's best, claiming national titles and pushing the limits of the sport in the early 2000s.
Born 1979 (age 47)·German pole vaulter·Birthday: April 16·Generation X
Biography
In the era of dominant vaulters like Tim Lobinger and Danny Ecker, Lars Börgeling was a vital part of a formidable German trio. His career was defined by remarkable consistency and a fierce domestic rivalry that elevated the entire event. Börgeling possessed a clean, powerful technique, which he used to claim multiple German national championships and regularly qualify for world championships and Olympic finals. While an individual global medal remained just out of reach, his presence ensured Germany was a collective force in the event. He competed at the highest level for over a decade, his personal best of 5.85m placing him among the elite vaulters of his generation and cementing his status as a pillar of German athletics during its pole vaulting heyday.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Lars was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lars Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Lars's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the German national championship in the pole vault multiple times.
- Represented Germany at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, finishing seventh in the final.
- Placed fourth at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics in Paris.
Did You Know?
His personal best of 5.85 meters, set in 2003, places him high on the German all-time list.
He studied business administration alongside his athletic career.
He was a training partner and rival of German vaulters Tim Lobinger and Danny Ecker.
“The bar is the only opponent that never makes a mistake.”
