Athletics / Guide 13
High jump
World Athletics · 2026In short
Clearing the bar · Countback and a jump-off
Clearing the bar
Athletes must take off from one foot. An attempt fails if their action dislodges the bar or they touch the ground or landing area beyond the specified plane before clearing it, subject to the rule's exception. An athlete may pass heights, but 3 consecutive failures across any combination of heights end their competition, except in a first-place jump-off.
Countback and a jump-off
Equal heights are separated first by fewer attempts at the last cleared height, then by fewer failures up to and including that height. If a first-place tie remains, a jump-off is normally held unless it is waived under the rules. A shared first place is therefore possible; the highest clearance alone does not always identify a sole winner.
Independent explanations and translations, not official federation publications. Independent explanations of the supplied World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules, including amendments through 1 July 2026. Event-specific regulations may add conditions. References use PDF viewer page numbers; guide numbers are editorial.
Sources & approach ↗
Sources & approach ↗