35 Amusing High Jump Facts That Will Make You Love The Sport

The high jump is one of the most popular track and field events worldwide.

Athletes compete in high jump competitions by jumping off of a horizontal bar placed at predetermined height levels. The bar is raised until none of the competitors left can meet that standard.

The main goal of the high jump sport is to jump off at the greatest height possible without hitting the bar. Each competitor is given three attempts at each height level.

They are eliminated from the competition if they are unable to jump over a given bar height three times successfully. Now that you understand the fundamentals of the high jump, continue reading to learn more about the types, inventions, and other facts about high jumps.

Types Of High Jumps

Essentially, there are three types of high jump styles: the Fosbury flop, western roll or side roll, and straddle style.

The Fosbury flop style is named after Ricarord Fosbury, an American high jumper who pioneered this technique by doing a backward spin. His victory in the 1968 Mexico Olympics inspired athletes to study and adopt his high jump style.

Athletes who perform the Fosbury flop style are known as 'floppers.'

The side roll, also known as a western roll and side style, was invented by George Horine, an American athlete. In 1912, he used this technique to break the world record of 6 ft 7 in (2 m).

The Western roll technique did not become popular among athletes until 1943, when the style was evolved to ensure that the head was not too low from the waist while jumping over the bar.

The straddle style is the third type of high jump in which a vertical jump is made with legs hoisted into an airborne straddle (90 degrees wide open).

Athletes who use the straddle high jump technique are known as straddlers.

Importance Of The High Jump

The high jump is not only an amusing athletic event, but also a sport with several health benefits.

Jumping tones muscles and improves upper and lower body strength.

High jumping burns between 800-1,000 calories per hour.

Jumping is often regarded as one of the best workouts for bone health.

Jumping improves body posture.

High jumping makes your body burn fat faster. As a result, it aids in weight loss.

Jumping regularly enhances cardiovascular health.

Jumping enhances coordination, which helps in sports like basketball, volleyball, and athletics, and also keeps you healthier and less prone to accidents later in life.

Invention Of The High Jump

The high jump is a track and field event that requires a combination of running, vertical jumping, and the ability to twist and turn the body.

The high jump was introduced in the 19th century in England. The first recorded high jump competition was held in Scotland.

Early high jumpers either employed an elaborate straight-on approach or a scissors high jump technique. 

The rules established in 1865 are still in effect today. Each athlete gets three attempts at every height level. They are permitted to touch the bar but are not allowed to knock it down. Three consecutive missed jumps result in elimination.

The high jump entered the Olympic games for men in 1896 and women in 1928.

In the 20th century, an Irish-American named Michael Sweeney popularized a variation of the scissors technique. Using the new approach, he set the world record of 6 ft 5.5 in (2 m) in 1895.

Iolanda Balaș of Romania dominated the women's high jump for approximately 10 years before retiring in 1967, using the scissors technique variation.

American and Soviet jumpers pioneered the straddle method.

Charles Dumas, a straddle jumper, was the first to reach 7 ft (2.1 m) in 1956.

In the 1968 Olympics, Ricarord Fosbury used the Fosbury Flop high jump style to win a gold medal. Since then, the Fosbury flop became the most popular among high jumpers.

The first world record among flop-style jumpers was created by Dwight Stones, who cleared 7 ft 6.5 in (2.3 m) in 1973.

Italian jumper Sara Simeoni broke the record heights in women's high jump with the Fosbury flop technique in 1978.

Even after the Fosbury flop style became dominant, the straddle technique was prevalent. Straddlers Vladimir Yashchenko and Rosemarie Ackermann held the men's and women's world records from 1977 to 1978. They were, however, the last world record holders to use the straddling technique.

Fun Facts About The High Jump

The high jump has been a popular sport among people of all age groups for decades. While doing a high jump, athletes have to take care of several things, including their vertical and horizontal momentum.

Stefka Kostadinova established the women's world record of 6 ft 25 in (2.1 m) in 1987.

Javier Sotomayor established the men's high jump world record of 8 ft 0.25 in (2.5 m) in 1993.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) sets the international high jump rules.

A high jumper must take off on only one foot.

If the high jumpers tie for first place or for a limited advancement position, they have a jump-off starting at the next height above their highest success. However, this time they get only one attempt at each height.

From 1900 to 1912, the standing high jump competition was part of the Olympic games. It is accomplished in the same manner as a high jump, but there is no run-up, and the athlete must stand still and jump with both feet together.

The best high jumpers are thought to be tall, however, some of the most gifted high jumpers in history were not. For instance, Stefan Holm is the most famous short high jumper with a height of 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m).

Before 1984, China had never won an Olympic medal. When Zhu Jianhua won a bronze medal in the Los Angeles Olympics, enraged fans stormed Jianhua's house, smashed the windows, and looted his possessions. Since Jianhua, no Chinese high jumper has won a medal in the high jump.

Only three Americans have won two Olympic gold medals in the high jump. They are  Hollis Conway, Dwight Stones, and John Thomas.

Hollis Conway, at only a hair over 6 ft ( 1.82 m), is one of the shorter elite high jumpers and holds the record for the highest jump above his own height.