When is a high jump a failure?
B · Beginner · The jump · 2 of 4A jump fails if the bar comes off its supports because of what the athlete did while jumping. It also fails if the athlete touches the ground or the landing area beyond the line of the bar without first clearing it, or touches the bar or the uprights while running up without jumping.
How it works
- The bar comes off: an athlete fails if "after the jump, the bar does not remain on the supports because of the action of the athlete whilst jumping".
- Past the bar without jumping: an athlete fails if they touch the ground, including the landing area, "beyond the vertical plane through the nearer edge of the crossbar", between or outside the uprights, with any part of the body, without first clearing the bar.
- The one allowance: if the athlete's foot touches the landing area as they jump and the judge thinks no advantage was gained, that is not a failure.
- Touching while running up: an athlete fails if they touch the crossbar or the upright posts when running up without jumping.
- The line: a white line 50 mm wide is drawn along the plane of the bar, running 3 m beyond each upright, to help the judges.
- The flags: the chief judge raises a white flag for a valid trial and a red flag for a failure, and does so only once the trial is complete.
- A shaking bar: when a touched bar trembles on its supports, the chief judge decides when to steady it and which flag to raise.
- Wind or another outside force: if the bar is knocked off by something other than the athlete after a clean clearance, the trial is successful. In any other case a replacement trial is given.
Tricky cases
The bar wobbles for two seconds and then falls. Is it a failure?
Yes, if it fell because of the athlete's action while jumping. The judge waits for the bar to settle before raising a flag.
An athlete runs up, stops short of the bar and walks back. Have they failed?
No, as long as they did not touch the bar or the uprights or go beyond the line of the bar. They may try again if there is time left on the clock.
A gust of wind blows the bar off before the athlete jumps. What happens?
A replacement trial is awarded.
The athlete clears the bar cleanly and the wind then blows it off. Is it a clearance?
Yes. The trial is considered successful.
Why the rule exists
The bar is a simple and honest witness: it stays or it falls. The other two failures stop an athlete from testing the run-up at full speed and going under the bar, which would be a free practice attempt.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 27.2; TR 26.10; TR 25.8 |
| Pole vault | The line is at the back of the box, and there are extra failures to do with the hands and the pole | TR 28.2 |
| Time | Running out of time before starting the trial is also recorded as a failure | TR 25.17 |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 25.8, 25.17, 26.10 and 27.2 with the commentary printed under rule 27. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).