How does a jump-off for first place work?
I · Intermediate · The competition · 2 of 4In a jump-off the tied athletes each have one try at each height, starting at the next height after the one they last cleared. If more than one clears, the bar goes up by 5 cm. If all fail, it comes down by the same amount. It goes on until one athlete is left ahead, or until they agree to stop.
How it works
- Who: the athletes tied for first place after the countback.
- Every height: "Athletes concerned must jump at every height until a decision is reached or until all of the athletes concerned decide not to jump further."
- One try: "Each athlete shall have one jump at each height."
- Where it starts: at the next height in the announced sequence after the height last cleared.
- Up or down: "the bar shall be raised if more than one athlete concerned were successful, or lowered if all of them failed", by 5 cm.
- Not jumping: an athlete who does not attempt a height gives up any claim to a higher place. If only one other athlete remains, that athlete wins whether or not they attempt the height.
- Agreeing to stop: the athletes may decide not to jump further, before the jump-off or at any stage of it. The tie for first then remains.
- The result: a height cleared in a jump-off counts as the athlete's result if it is their best.
The rule book gives an example from the high jump. Four athletes all clear 1.88 m at the second try, so the first step of the countback does not separate them.
| Athlete | Failures up to 1.88 m | Jump-off at 1.91 m | at 1.89 m | at 1.91 m | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2 | X | O | X | 2 |
| B | 2 | X | O | O | 1 |
| C | 2 | X | X | 3 | |
| D | 3 | 4 |
D has more failures and is fourth. A, B and C all fail at 1.91 m, so the bar comes down to 1.89 m. C fails there and is third. The bar goes back to 1.91 m, which only B clears. The pole vault works the same way with steps of 5 cm.
Tricky cases
Is there a jump-off for second place?
No. A jump-off is held only when the tie concerns first place.
In a jump-off, does an athlete get three tries at each height?
No. Each athlete has one.
One athlete wants a jump-off and the other wants to share. What happens?
The jump-off goes ahead. An athlete who then does not jump gives up the claim to the higher place, and the other is declared the winner.
Can the organisers decide there will be no jump-off?
Yes. That may be set out in the competition's regulations, or decided by the technical delegate or referee before the event starts.
Why the rule exists
A jump-off settles first place by the event's own test and not by a calculation. Lowering the bar when everyone fails keeps the tied athletes at heights they can clear, so the contest ends. Letting them agree to share recognises that after a long competition a tie can be the fair result.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 26.8.4; TR 26.9 |
| Combined events | No jump-off | TR 26.8.4 (note) |
| Time for a trial | The athletes in a jump-off are counted as still in the competition when the time allowed is worked out | TR 25.17 (note iii) |
| Conditions | The referee may end a jump-off if conditions make it impossible or undesirable to continue | TR 26.8 commentary |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 25.21, 26.8.4 and 26.9, with the example and commentary printed under rule 26. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).