Bérénice Wehner: Rising French Pole Vault Star
A Young Talent from Val-d’Oise
Bérénice Wehner is a French pole vaulter born in 2005 who has quickly established herself as one of the most promising young athletes in her discipline. Hailing from the Val-d’Oise department in the Île-de-France region just north of Paris, Wehner has developed her athletic career through the ranks of French youth athletics, capturing national attention with her consistent performances and championship victories.
The young vaulter represents C.C. Taverny Athlétisme, a club based in the town of Taverny in the northern suburbs of Paris. This club, known for its strong tradition in producing quality pole vaulters, has provided Wehner with the training environment and technical guidance essential for her development in this demanding event.
Early Career and Youth Development
Wehner’s journey through French athletics began during her cadet years, where she demonstrated immediate promise in the pole vault. During the 2021-2022 indoor season, she competed at the departmental championships in Val-d’Oise, claiming victory in the pole vault with a clearance of 3.60 meters—a performance that earned her the highest classification level (N3) in the French national ranking system. This marked her as a cadet to watch in the coming seasons.
Her development continued steadily through 2022, and by the time the 2022-2023 indoor season arrived, Wehner had improved significantly. At the regional championships (Île-de-France), she earned a silver medal in the cadet pole vault category with a mark of 3.50 meters. The indoor French National Championships for Cadets and Juniors in February 2023 saw her finish in fourth place in the junior women’s pole vault with a clearance of 3.70 meters—an impressive achievement that placed her firmly among France’s top young vaulters.
Breakthrough: 2023 French Junior Champion
The summer of 2023 proved to be Bérénice Wehner’s breakout moment. At the French National Championships for Cadets and Juniors (Championnats de France U18 & U20) held in Châteauroux from July 14-16, 2023, Wehner delivered a performance that would define her junior career.
Competing in the junior women’s pole vault final, she executed what can only be described as a flawless competition. With zero failures throughout the entire contest, Wehner cleared 3.95 meters to claim the French Junior National Championship title. The perfect scorecard—no missed attempts at any height—demonstrated not only her physical capability but also her mental composure and tactical intelligence in competition, qualities that separate good vaulters from potential champions.
Her club, C.C. Taverny Athlétisme, proudly announced the achievement, with the headline “Bérénice sacrée” (Bérénice crowned) marking the occasion. The 3.95-meter clearance represented a significant personal best at the time and confirmed her status as France’s premier junior women’s pole vaulter.
2024-2025: Continued Progress at the Senior Level
Following her junior title, Wehner has continued her upward trajectory as she transitions toward senior-level competition. The 2025 indoor season has shown marked improvement in her personal best heights, demonstrating that her development remains on a strong course.
On January 26, 2025, competing at the Complexe Kindarena in Rouen at the Perche Elite Tour Rouen event, Wehner cleared 4.16 meters—a new indoor personal best that elevated her performances to a new level. She then equaled this mark on February 22, 2025, at the Stadium Miramas Métropole in Miramas, confirming that the earlier clearance was no fluke.
The 4.16-meter mark represents a significant improvement from her junior championship-winning height of 3.95 meters, showing a 21-centimeter progression in roughly 18 months—solid development for a young vaulter still maturing both physically and technically.
As of early 2025, Wehner is ranked #216 in the World Athletics women’s pole vault rankings, with her highest ranking having reached #228. While still some distance from the elite international level, these rankings reflect her emergence onto the broader competitive stage as she gains experience at higher-level competitions.
The Wehner Athletic Family
Bérénice is not the only athlete in the Wehner family. Her younger sister, Bertille Wehner (born 2008), competes in the high jump and also represents France at the youth level. Bertille has shown considerable promise in her event, having cleared 1.64 meters in June 2024. The presence of two siblings competing in vertical jumping events suggests a family environment supportive of athletics, and the sisters may continue to represent French athletics together as their careers progress.
Technical Profile and Competition Style
The pole vault demands an unusual combination of speed, strength, technical precision, and courage. Wehner’s perfect competition at the 2023 French Junior Championships highlighted one of her key strengths: the ability to perform cleanly under pressure. Clearing all attempted heights without failure is a remarkable feat in pole vault, where the margin for error is extremely thin and the physical demands of each attempt are substantial.
As an athlete born in 2005, Wehner has time on her side. Many elite pole vaulters reach their peak performances in their mid-to-late twenties, giving Wehner potentially another decade of development ahead. Her progression from 3.60 meters as a cadet to 4.16 meters now suggests she is on a trajectory that could see her challenging the top tier of French women’s vaulters in the years ahead.
Current Status and Future Prospects
The 2025 season finds Wehner at an important juncture in her career. Having conquered the junior ranks in France, she now faces the challenge of establishing herself at the senior national level and potentially earning selection for international youth championships.
The current world-class standard in women’s pole vault is approximately 4.80-5.00 meters at the elite level, with the world record standing at 5.06 meters. While Wehner’s current best of 4.16 meters is still some way from these heights, her age and rate of improvement suggest continued progress is highly likely. The French national record stands at 4.95 meters (held by Vanessa Boslak), and the country has a strong tradition in the event that Wehner may eventually contribute to.
For Wehner, the immediate goals likely include continuing to raise her personal best, securing consistent performances at the 4.20-meter level and beyond, and competing at increasingly competitive international meetings. The European Junior Championships and World Junior Championships represent natural targets for an athlete of her caliber.
Social Media and Public Presence
Bérénice Wehner maintains a presence on social media platforms where she can be followed at @berenice.whn on Instagram. Like many young athletes, she uses these platforms to share aspects of her athletic journey with supporters and the broader athletics community.
Conclusion
Bérénice Wehner embodies the promise of the next generation of French pole vault. From her early development with C.C. Taverny Athlétisme to her crowning as French Junior Champion in 2023 with a flawless competition, she has demonstrated the technical ability, competitive temperament, and work ethic necessary to succeed at the highest levels.
With her personal best now standing at 4.16 meters and continuing to rise, the trajectory of her career suggests that French athletics fans have much to look forward to. While the path from promising junior to senior international competitor is never guaranteed, Wehner has shown every indication that she possesses the tools and determination to make that journey successfully.
As she continues to compete and develop through 2025 and beyond, Bérénice Wehner represents exactly the type of emerging talent that keeps the future of French athletics—and particularly its proud pole vault tradition—in excellent hands.
