Maksim Tarasov pictured during the pole vault at the 1997 World Championships in Athens.
Like two years earlier he won the silver medal behind the great pole vaulter Sergey Bubka.
 
    
        
            |  | 
        
            | Men's Pole Vault Final.  World Athletics Championships 1995  | 
        
            |  | 
        
            | 1. Sergey Bubka |  | UKR |  | 5.92m. | 
        
            | 2. Maksim TARASOV |  | RUS |  | 5.86m. | 
        
            | 3. Jean Galfione |  | FRA |  | 5.86m. | 
        
            | 4. Okkert Brits |  | RSA |  | 5.80m. | 
        
            | 5. Radion Gataullin |  | RUS |  | 5.70m. | 
        
            | 6. Scott Huffman |  | USA |  | 5.70m. | 
        
            | 7. Igor Trandenkov |  | RUS |  | 5.70m. | 
        
            | 8. Dean Starkey |  | USA |  | 5.60m. | 
        
            |     | 
        
            | Men's Pole Vault Final.  World Athletics Championships 1997  | 
        
            |  | 
        
            | 1. Sergey Bubka |  | UKR |  | 6.01m. | 
        
            | 2. Maksim TARASOV |  | RUS |  | 5.96m. | 
        
            | 3. Dean Starkey |  | USA |  | 5.91m. | 
        
            | 4. Tim Lobinger |  | GER |  | 5.80m. | 
        
            | 5. Nick Buckfield |  | GBR |  | 5.70m. | 
        
            | 6. Pat Manson |  | USA |  | 5.70m. | 
        
            | 7. Vadim Strogalyov |  | RUS |  | 5.70m. | 
        
            | 8. Yevgeniy Smiryagin |  | RUS |  | 5.70m. |