high jumper

A high jumper is an athlete who competes in the high jump, a track-and-field competition in which competitors attempt to complete the highest jump over a crossbar with a running start. An attempt in this event (the jump itself) is also called a high jump.

In the high jump, high jumpers must jump from one foot and must not cause the crossbar to fall—or else the attempt does not count. During the competition, the bar continues to be raised so that jumpers can attempt higher jumps. Competitors usually get three attempts to complete a jump.

High jumpers use different high jump techniques, but the most popular involves the high jumper running toward the bar, turning as they jump, leaping over the bar backward, and arching their back in a way that avoids hitting the bar.

The high jump is a track-and-field event in the summer Olympic Games (the Summer Games) and it is also part of the modern decathlon.

The high jump should not be confused with the long jump, which is a track-and-field (and decathlon) event in which athletes (called long jumpers) attempt to jump as far as possible. The pole vault also involves clearing a cross bar at the highest possible height, but pole vaulters do this by vaulting themselves into the air with a pole.

Example: The two high jumpers decided to share the gold medal, delighting fans around the world.

The first records of the term high jump as a name for the track-and-field event come from the late 1800s, and high jumper has been used since at least the 1890s. Other track-and-field terms use the words jump and jumper in the same way, including long jump and long jumper.

In the 1800s, high jump competitions gained popularity in Scotland with events like the Highland Games incorporating track-and-field events like it. From 1896 to 1912, there were two separate Olympic events known as the high jump. One involved athletes jumping from a standing position, and the other, called the running high jump, was the one that we now know as the high jump. In 1912, the standing version of the high jump was discontinued. In 1928, a women’s high jump event was added to the Olympics.

The high jump has changed over time. Prior to the 1950s, athletes were allowed to wear shoes that added additional height. Before the 1960s, most high jumpers jumped over the crossbar vertically or head first, into a landing area that consisted of sand, dirt, or turf. Eventually, a cushioned landing area was introduced, and the backward leap technique became the dominant method. It is sometimes known as the Fosbury flop, after high jumper Dick Fosbury, who perfected the technique.

What are some other forms related to high jumper?

• high jump (noun)

What are some words that share a root or word element with high jumper? 

• long jumper

What are some words that often get used in discussing high jumper?

• track and field
• Fosbury flop
• attempt
• crossbar
• disqualify
• vertical
• leap
• height

The term high jumper is the common way to refer to a competitor in the high jump.

The Italian high jumper leapt into his Qatari rival's arms when they decided to split the title. https://t.co/yYPrghpI3I

— HuffPost Ent (@HuffPostEnt) August 2, 2021

This high jumper from QATAR is incredible

— J_Nation🇬🇲🇺🇸❤👑💍 (@BigBesso) August 1, 2021

In 2016, Gianmarco Tamberi broke his foot after setting an Italian record of 2.39m.

It took a year for him to feel like a high jumper again. His rival Mutaz Barshim played an important role in his comeback: https://t.co/8t8d0HH3g6 pic.twitter.com/g96Nj0KTUA

— SPIKES (@spikesmag) January 24, 2018

True or False?

In the high jump, the high jumper is allowed to touch the bar as long as they don’t knock it down.