How do the high jump and pole vault work inside a decathlon or heptathlon?
I · Intermediate · How the events differ · 5 of 7The bar goes up by the same step all the way through: 3 cm in the high jump and 10 cm in the pole vault. Athletes still choose where to come in and may pass heights. Three failures in a row end their jumping. There is no jump-off, because each athlete is scored on the height they cleared.
How it works
- Fixed steps: "each increase of the bar shall be uniform throughout the competition: 3cm in the High Jump and 10cm in the Pole Vault".
- Starting and passing: an athlete may begin at any height on the ladder and may pass any height, as in the individual events.
- Three failures in a row: end the athlete's jumping. They score for the best height cleared.
- No jump-off: the rule on a jump-off for first place does not apply in combined events.
- The winner does not pick heights: in an individual event the last athlete left may choose their own heights. A note to that rule says it does not apply to combined events, so the fixed step carries on.
- Time for a trial: the same as in the individual events, except for the last athlete left, who has 2 minutes in the high jump and 3 minutes in the pole vault.
- No height: an athlete who clears nothing scores nothing for the event and continues.
Tricky cases
The last decathlete left in the pole vault wants the bar raised by 5 cm for a personal best. Can they have it?
No. The step is 10 cm throughout.
Two heptathletes clear the same height with different numbers of failures. Does one score more?
No. Both cleared the same height, so both receive the same points.
A decathlete fails three times at their opening height in the pole vault. How many points do they get?
None for the pole vault. They carry on to the javelin.
Can a decathlete pass a height to save energy?
Yes. Passing works as it does in the individual event.
Why the rule exists
In a combined event the bar is not deciding a winner of the high jump. It is measuring each athlete for the points table. Even steps give every athlete the same ladder to climb and stop the last one left from spending energy and time on heights chosen to the centimetre.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules, combined events | As above | TR 39.8.4 |
| Individual high jump and pole vault | The step may shrink as the competition goes on, to no less than 2 cm and 5 cm | TR 26.4 |
| Individual events | A jump-off may decide first place | TR 26.8.4; TR 26.9 |
| Individual events | The last athlete left has 3 minutes in the high jump and 5 minutes in the pole vault | TR 25.17 |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 25.17, 26.2, 26.4 and 26.8.4 with their notes, and Technical Rule 39.8.4. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).