How are ties broken in the high jump and pole vault?
The athlete with fewer attempts at the last height both cleared places higher. If still tied, the one with fewer failures in the whole competition places higher. A tie for first place then goes to a jump-off.
Reading a height card
Each height is written as a string of attempts: O for a clearance, X for a failure, – for a pass. A card of 1.80 O · 1.85 XO · 1.90 XXO · 1.95 XXX means the athlete cleared 1.90 on the third attempt and went out at 1.95.
An example
Two jumpers both clear 1.90. One cleared it first time (O), the other on the second (XO): the first jumper places higher. If both cleared it on the same attempt, count every X before that: fewer failures wins.
Sources: World Athletics Book of Rules: Competition and Technical Rules. Updated 2026-10-31.