How are horizontal jumps and throws measured and recorded?
Rule- South Africa
- Athletics South Africa
- World Athletics rules
- WA Technical Rules 2026
- Track and field
- Technical officials
- All ages
- 2026/27
- Officials
Under World Athletics TR 29 and 32 (jumps and throws):
- Measure every valid trial straight away, whatever the distance, because lesser marks can decide countbacks and who goes through to the final rounds. Trials with a foul are normally not measured, unless an athlete is competing under protest.
- Record to the nearest 0.01m below the distance measured, unless it's a whole centimetre. For example, 6.478m is recorded as 6.47m.
- Jumps: measure from the nearest break in the landing area made by any part of the body (or anything attached to it) to the take-off line or its extension, perpendicular to the take-off line.
- Shot, discus and hammer: from the nearest mark made by the implement's first landing to the inside of the circle's circumference, along a line to the centre of the circle.
- Javelin: from the nearest mark made by the head to the inside edge of the arc, along a line to the centre of the circle the arc is part of.
- Recording: a valid trial is shown by its measurement; standard symbols are used for fouls and passes. The judge raises the white flag only once the trial is complete (the athlete has left the landing area or circle or runway correctly).
- Implements are carried back, never thrown back.
At ASA national, inter-provincial, provincial and club competitions the organisers must provide implements; athletes may use their own only if they're checked and marked as approved before the competition (ASA Rule 30).
Updated 22 Oct 2026