[1] The meeting was founded in 1990 by Sergey Bubka, the pole vault world record holder who grew up in the city.

[2][3][4] Bubka brought an end to his distinguished career with a ceremony at the competition in 2001.

[6] After standing for almost 21 years, in 2014 Renaud Lavillenie improved upon Bubka's record at Pole Vault Stars.

The meeting's current commercial partner, Samsung, has been the title sponsor since 2011.

[11][12] Days after the 2014 event, where Lavillenie set the new world record, the city of Donetsk became the epicenter of what became the War in Donbass.