High Jump

The high jump is a field event in which contestant must jump over a bar. The jump is completely unaided by any devices. The high jump involves strength and stamina. It also involves a bit of skill in how to best get the body over the bar.

The high jump is one of the oldest field events. It was practiced by the ancient Greeks in their original Olympic games. The first recorded high jump contests were actually in Scotland in the early 1900’s. The first successful high jump was recorded at a height of 1.68 meters. At this time the jumpers usually came to the bar in a straight fashion. As time moved on the diagonal approach that is used today was developed.

Other techniques began to develop in the hopes of improving performance. The western roll technique was created in 1912. This involved using the inner leg to jump and the outer leg to thrust the body over the bar. This technique raised the world standard jump to 2.01 meters.

Later the straddle technique was developed. This involved starting out in the western roll style but thrusting the torso area downward. The high jump standard was raised even further when this technique caught on giving a gold medal to high jumper Valeriey Brumel. He obtained a high jump of 2.28 meters and was known as one of the best high jumpers of his time.

The world record for the high jump currently is set at 2.45 meters. It was set by Cuba’s Javier Sotomayor in 1993. Several attempts have been made to take the high jump record since but none have been successful.

The high jump is a sport of skill and strength. It has a long history dating back to ancient Greece. Various techniques have been tried and tested over the years to develop the perfect high jump. The high jump techniques may have changed but the general rules still apply. Those interested in learning high jump are best advised to start at an early age. They are also advised that training and discipline are required for success.