Fitness Testing Records

High Jump Records

High jumping requires a highly developed specialist technique. Most people determine their jumping ability using the vertical jump test, a fitness test of leg power.

Standing High Jump

The standing high jump was an Olympic Track and Field event held between 1900 and 1912. Unlike the conventional high jump event which is part of the current track and field program, the standing version does not allow any run up. The technique is performed from a position with both feet together.

A champion in this discipline, Ray Ewry won the standing high jump (and also the standing long jump) in 1900, 1904, 1906, and 1908. He set the world record for the standing high jump of 1.65 m on July 16, 1900.

Running High Jump

The high jump event in track and field athletics, has evolved as the technique and equipment have improved over the years. Significant changes occurred when the landing pit of sand or sawdust was replaced with foam mats, and the 'frosby flop' back over technique was able to be utilized. Here are the progressions for the men's high jump world record.

The High Jump World Record is 2.45 meters (8 ft 0.46 in), by Javier Sotomayor of Cuba, who achieved this height on the 27th of July 1993 in Salamanca (see High Jump Record videos). Sotomayor also holds the indoor and world record of 2.43 meters (7 ft 11.67 in). His outdoor world record was set in 1993 is the longest standing in the history of the men's high jump.

Men's High Jump World Record Progression

2.00m George Horine USA 1912
2.01m Edward Beeson USA 1914
2.02m Clinton Larsen USA 1917
2.03m Harold Osborn USA 1924
2.04m Walter Marty USA 1933
2.06m Walter Marty USA 1934
2.07m Cornelius Johnson USA 1936
2.07m Dave Albritton USA 1936
2.08m Melvin Walker USA 1937
2.09m Melvin Walker USA 1937
2.09m Bill Stewart USA 1941
2.10m Lester Steers USA 1941
2.105m Lester Steers USA 1941
2.11m Lester Steers USA 1941
2.12m Walter Davis USA 1953
2.15m Charles Dumas USA 1956
2.16m Yuriy Stepanov USSR 1957
2.17m John Thomas USA 1960
2.17m John Thomas USA 1960
2.18m John Thomas USA 1960
2.195m John Thomas USA 1960
2.22m John Thomas USA 1960
2.23m Valeriy Brumel USSR 1961
2.24m Valeriy Brumel USSR 1961
2.25m Valeriy Brumel USSR 1961
2.26m Valeriy Brumel USSR 1962
2.27m Valeriy Brumel USSR 1962
2.28m Valeriy Brumel USSR 1963
2.29m Ni Chih-Chin China 1970
2.29m Pat Matzdorf USA 1971
2.30m Dwight Stones USA 1973
2.31m Dwight Stones USA 1976
2.32m Dwight Stones USA 1976
2.33m Vladimir Yashchenko USSR 1977
2.34m Vladimir Yashchenko USSR 1978
2.35m Jacek Wszola Poland 1980
2.35m Dietmar Mögenburg West Germany 1980
2.36m Gerd Wessig East Germany 1980
2.37m Zhu Jianhua China 1983
2.38m Zhu Jianhua China 1983
2.39m Zhu Jianhua China 1984
2.40m Rudolf Povarnitsyn USSR 1985
2.41m Igor Paklin USSR 1985
2.42m Patrik Sjöberg Sweden 1987
2.43m Javier Sotomayor Cuba 1988
2.44m Javier Sotomayor Cuba 1989
2.45m Javier Sotomayor Cuba 1993

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