A star-studded lineup for the Sparkassen Indoor Meeting Dortmund: At the tenth edition on Saturday, January 23, 2027, track and field fans at the Helmut-Körnig-Halle can look forward to a pole vault competition in a class of its own. With two-time world champion Sam Kendricks (USA), reigning European indoor champion Menno Vloon (Netherlands), and Belgian record holder Ben Broeders, three internationally successful pole vaulters have confirmed their participation in the anniversary meeting.

The most prominent name in the field is undoubtedly Sam Kendricks. The 34-year-old American has been among the world’s absolute best for years. He was crowned world champion in London in 2017 and in Doha in 2019, and at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, he won the silver medal behind world record holder Armand Duplantis. He had already won Olympic bronze in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Kendricks proved he remains among the world’s elite in 2025 as well, taking bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing and finishing fourth at the World Outdoor Championships in Tokyo. His personal best stands at an impressive 6.06 meters.

Menno Vloon is yet another international champion coming to Dortmund. The Dutch athlete secured the gold medal at the 2025 European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, clearing 5.90 meters alongside Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis. With a personal best of 5.96 meters, Vloon also holds the Dutch national record. The 32-year-old is no stranger to Dortmund: Back in 2020, he was part of the meeting’s high-caliber pole vault field and took third place with a jump of 5.70 meters.

Ben Broeders also has fond memories of the Helmut-Körnig-Halle. The Belgian won the pole vault competition at the 2025 Sparkassen Indoor Meeting with a jump of 5.72 meters. Back in 2020, he tied for first place with Germany’s Torben Blech, both clearing 5.70 meters. The former U23 European champion holds the Belgian national record at 5.85 meters and hopes to be among the top contenders once again upon his return to Dortmund.

With these three athletes, the pole vault is already shaping up to be one of the sporting highlights of the anniversary meet. The meet record could also come into play: The record of 5.95 meters was set by American KC Lightfoot in 2022.

“I’m naturally thrilled that we were able to secure three such top international athletes for our tenth edition. The pole vault, in particular, consistently creates a special atmosphere in our arena. I’m convinced that spectators here will experience a fantastic competition,” says Yoshi Müller, head of organization for the Sparkassen Indoor Meeting.

Advance ticket sales for the Sparkassen Indoor Meeting on January 23, 2027, are already underway. Through October 31, 2026, track and field fans can receive a 20 percent early-bird discount on Category II seats. All tickets also include free round-trip travel on VRR public transportation (2nd class) within the VRR area.

Tickets are available online at www.reservix.de as well as at all advance sales locations connected to the Reservix system.