When is the wind measured, and what does the reading change?
I · Intermediate · The event and the start · 1 of 7The wind is measured in the 100 m and 110 m hurdles for 13 seconds from the gun. The reading is published with the result. A following wind averaging more than 2 metres per second means the time cannot be ratified as a record. It does not change who won.
How it works
- Which races: the wind is measured in races up to 200 m, including the 100 m and 110 m hurdles. It is not measured in the 300 m or 400 m hurdles.
- For how long: 13 seconds from the flash or smoke of the starter's gun.
- Where: the gauge stands beside the straight next to lane 1, 50 m from the finish line, 1.22 m high and no more than 2 m from the track.
- The reading: in metres per second, rounded to the next higher tenth in the positive direction. A reading of +2.03 is recorded as +2.1 and a reading of -2.03 as -2.0.
- Records: "If the wind velocity, measured in the direction of running, averages more than 2 metres per second, the performance will not be ratified."
- The race: the result stands whatever the wind.
A time run with too much wind is called wind-assisted.
Tricky cases
The reading is exactly +2.0. Can the time be a record?
Yes. The limit is "more than 2 metres per second".
Is a headwind reading rounded in the athlete's favour?
No. Rounding always goes in the positive direction, so -2.03 becomes -2.0.
Is the wind measured in the 400 m hurdles?
No. The rule lists measuring periods only for races up to 200 m.
Why the rule exists
A tailwind makes a short race faster for everyone in it, so it does not affect who wins. It does affect how a time compares with times run on other days, which is why the limit is attached to records.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 17.8 to 17.13; CR 31.14 |
| Sprints without hurdles | 5 seconds for 50 m and 60 m, 10 seconds for 100 m | TR 17.12 |
| Combined events | Records allow more wind in a single event if the average over the events is within the limit | CR 31.18 |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 17.8 to 17.13 and Competition Rule 31.14. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).