David Luther Roberts (born July 23, 1951) is an American retired pole vaulter and practicing physician. He won a silver medal at the 1971 Pan America Games and a bronze at the 1976 Olympics. Domestically he held the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

title in 1971–1973 and the AAU title in 1972 and 1974. He set two

world records A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

, in 1975 and 1976. Earl Bell and Dave Roberts 1976

During the 1976 U.S. Olympic Trials, Roberts broke his pole. His rival and then world record holder Earl Bell lent him his pole, and Roberts won the Trials with a new world record of 5.70 m.Putnam, Pat (July 5, 1976
FLYING START TOWARD THE OLYMPICS
''Sports Illustrated'' At the Olympics, he and two other athletes cleared 5.50 m. He passed at 5.55 m and his rivals failed to clear that height. He was unable to clear the next height at 5.60 m, as it had begun to rain. He finished third on the attempts count. Roberts graduated from

Rice University William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a private research university in Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranked among the top universities ...

in 1974. He graduated from the

University of Florida College of Medicine The University of Florida College of Medicine is the medical school of the University of Florida. It is part of the J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center, with facilities in Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida. The school grants Doctor o ...

in 1979, and is currently an assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine at that institution.

References

1951 births Living people American male pole vaulters Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in track and field Athletes (track and field) at the 1976 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1971 Pan American Games Rice Owls men's track and field athletes Rice University alumni Track and field athletes from Oklahoma World record setters in athletics (track and field) Medalists at the 1976 Summer Olympics Pan American Games medalists in athletics (track and field) Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States People from Stillwater, Oklahoma Medalists at the 1971 Pan American Games {{US-athletics-Olympic-medalist-stub