Who decides the heights, and may an athlete skip one?
B · Beginner · The jump · 3 of 4The heights are announced before the competition and the bar is raised after each round of trials, by at least 5 cm. An athlete may come in at any height and may pass any height or any single trial. A pass is a gamble: the failures already made still count towards the three in a row.
How it works
- Announced in advance: before the competition the referee or chief judge announces "the starting height and the subsequent heights to which the bar will be raised at the end of each round of trials".
- Coming in: an athlete "may commence vaulting at any height previously announced".
- Passing a height: an athlete may choose not to attempt a height and wait for a later one.
- Passing a trial: an athlete who has failed once or twice at a height may pass the remaining trials there and attempt a later height.
- No going back: an athlete who passes a trial at a height may not make any later trial at that height.
- The step: the bar is never raised by less than 5 cm after a round of trials, and the size of the step never increases.
- Until when: the heights go on until one athlete is left as the winner, or there is a tie for first place.
- The winner alone: after winning, the athlete decides the heights the bar goes to.
- A record height: the limits on the steps do not apply once all the athletes still competing agree to raise the bar straight to a world record height.
- Measured first: each new height is measured before anyone attempts it.
- Where the bar stands: each vaulter tells the officials before the competition how far back they want the bar, and may change it before their trial time starts.
Tricky cases
Can an athlete skip the opening heights?
Yes. They may start at any height that was announced.
An athlete fails once at a height. Can they pass and try the next height?
Yes. They carry one failure with them, so two more in a row will put them out.
An athlete passes a height and then wants to try it after all. Is that allowed?
No. Once a trial at a height has been passed, no later trial may be made at that height.
Can the bar be raised by a single centimetre?
It depends on who is left. While more than one athlete is competing the step must be at least 5 cm. An athlete who has already won chooses their own heights.
Why the rule exists
Letting athletes choose their heights saves their legs for the heights that matter and adds a tactical side to the event. Announcing the heights in advance and never widening the steps stops the progression being bent to suit one athlete.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 26.1 to 26.6 |
| Combined events | The steps are fixed at 10 cm | TR 39.8.4; TR 26.4 (note) |
| Jump-off for first place | The bar moves up or down by 5 cm | TR 26.9.4 |
| Absent athletes | An athlete not there when all the others have finished is treated as having abandoned the competition once the time for one more trial has passed | TR 26.2 |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 26.1 to 26.6 and 28.1. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).