Athletics / Guide 15
Long jump
World Athletics · 2026In short
Take-off and landing · Measurement and leaving the pit
Take-off and landing
A jump fails if the front of the take-off foot or shoe breaks the vertical plane of the take-off line before leaving the ground. Taking off before the board is allowed, but gives no extra distance. A loose shoelace crossing that plane alone is not a failure. Somersaults are prohibited.
Measurement and leaving the pit
Distance is measured from the take-off line to the nearest break in the sand made by the athlete or anything attached to them at contact. A hand landing behind the feet can shorten the measured jump. On leaving, the first foot contact outside the pit must be farther from the take-off line than the nearest sand mark.
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.
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