World Records — High Jump Men

The High Jump Men world record stands at 2.45, set by Javier Sotomayor (CUB) in 1993. Explore its full progression through athletics history.

Record progression

Mark over the years. The higher the curve, the better the record.

22.518501900195020001.575 · Wilson2.45 · Sotomayor

Record History

1993Javier SotomayorCurrentCUB—Jul 27, 1993Salamanca, SpainOngoing2.45+1cm
1989Javier SotomayorCUB—Jul 29, 1989San Juan, Puerto Rico4 years2.44+1cm
1988Javier SotomayorCUB—Sep 8, 1988Salamanca, Spain11 months2.43+1cm
1987Patrik SjöbergSWE—Jun 30, 1987Stockholm, Sweden14 months2.42+1cm
1985Igor PaklinURS—Sep 4, 1985Kobe, Japan22 months2.41+1cm
1985Rudolf PovarnitsynURS—Aug 11, 1985Donetsk, Soviet Union24 d2.40+1cm
1984Zhu JianhuaCHN—Jun 10, 1984Eberstadt, West Germany14 months2.39+1cm
1983Zhu JianhuaCHN—Sep 22, 1983Shanghai, China9 months2.38+1cm
1983Zhu JianhuaCHN—Jun 11, 1983Beijing, China3 months2.37+1cm
1980Gerd WessigGDR—Aug 1, 1980Moscow, Soviet Union2.9 years2.36+1cm
1980Dietmar MögenburgFRG—May 26, 1980Rehlingen, West Germany2 months2.35—
1980Jacek WszołaPOL—May 25, 1980Eberstadt, West Germany1 d2.35+1cm
1978Vladimir YashchenkoURS—Jun 16, 1978Tbilisi, Soviet Union23 months2.34+1cm
1977Vladimir YashchenkoURS—Jun 2, 1977Richmond, Virginia12 months2.33+1cm
1976Dwight StonesUSA—Aug 4, 1976Philadelphia10 months2.32+1cm
1976Dwight StonesUSA—Jun 5, 1976Philadelphia2 months2.31+1cm
1973Dwight StonesUSA—Jul 11, 1973Munich2.9 years2.30+1cm
1971Pat MatzdorfUSA—Jul 3, 1971Berkeley, California2 years2.29+1cm
1963Valeriy BrumelURS—Jul 21, 1963Moscow8 years2.28+1cm
1962Valeriy BrumelURS—Sep 29, 1962Moscow10 months2.27+1cm
1962Valeriy BrumelURS—Jul 22, 1962Palo Alto, California2 months2.26+1cm
1961Valeriy BrumelURS—Aug 31, 1961Sofia, Bulgaria11 months2.25+1cm
1961Valeriy BrumelURS—Jul 16, 1961Moscow46 d2.24+1cm
1961Valeriy BrumelURS—Jun 18, 1961Moscow28 d2.23+1cm
1960John ThomasUSA—Jul 1, 1960Palo Alto, California12 months2.22+4cm
1960John ThomasUSA—Jun 24, 1960Bakersfield, California7 d2.18+1cm
1960John ThomasUSA—May 21, 1960Cambridge, Massachusetts34 d2.17—
1960John ThomasUSA—Apr 30, 1960Philadelphia21 d2.17+1cm
1957Yuriy StepanovURS—Jul 13, 1957Leningrad, Soviet Union2.8 years2.16+1cm
1956Charles DumasUSA—Jun 29, 1956Los Angeles12 months2.15+3cm
1953Walt DavisUSA—Jun 27, 1953Dayton, Ohio3 years2.12+1cm
1941Lester SteersUSA—Jun 17, 1941Los Angeles12 years2.11+2cm
1937Mel WalkerUSA—Aug 12, 1937Malmö, Sweden3.8 years2.09+2cm
1936Cornelius JohnsonUSA—Jul 12, 1936New York13 months2.07—
1936Dave AlbrittonUSA—Jul 12, 1936New YorkEqualled2.07+1cm
1934Walter MartyUSA—Apr 28, 1934Palo Alto, California2.2 years2.06+2cm
1933Walter MartyUSA—May 13, 1933Fresno, California12 months2.04+1cm
1924Harold OsbornUSA—May 27, 1924Urbana, Illinois9 years2.03+2cm
1914Edward BeesonUSA—May 2, 1914Berkeley, California10.1 years2.01—
1912George HorineUSA—May 18, 1912Palo Alto, California23 months2.00+2cm
1912George HorineUSA—Mar 29, 1912Palo Alto50 d1.98+1cm
1895Matt SweeneyAUS—Sep 21, 1895New York City16.5 years1.97—
1890George RowdonGBR—Aug 6, 1890Haytor Camp5.1 years1.968+4cm
1887William PageUSA—Oct 7, 1887Philadelphia2.8 years1.93+2cm
1887William PageUSA—Aug 15, 1887Stourbridge53 d1.91+1cm
1880Patrick DavinIRL—Jul 5, 1880Carrick7.1 years1.90+1cm
1876Marshall BrooksGBR—Apr 7, 1876London4.2 years1.89+6cm
1876Marshall BrooksGBR—Mar 17, 1876Oxford21 d1.83+3cm
1875Michael GlazebrookGBR—Mar 22, 1875London12 months1.80—
1874Marshall BrooksGBR—Mar 30, 1874London12 months1.80+2cm
1873Tom DavinIRL—Jul 7, 1873Dublin9 months1.785+3cm
1871Ronald MitchellGBR—Apr 3, 1871London2.3 years1.755—
1870Ronald MitchellGBR—Apr 9, 1870London12 months1.75—
1867Thomas LittleGBR—Apr 12, 1867London3 years1.75—
1866J.A. HarwoodGBR—Nov 26, 1866London5 months1.75—
1866Herbert BrooksGBR—Nov 26, 1866LondonEqualled1.75—
1866John RoupellGBR—Mar 23, 1866London8 months1.75—
1866Thomas LittleGBR—Mar 23, 1866LondonEqualled1.75+3cm
1866John RoupellGBR—Mar 5, 1866Cambridge18 d1.725+3cm
1864Tom MitchellGBR—Jul 9, 1864Liverpool20 months1.70—
1860Robert BurtonGBR—Mar 27, 1860Harrow4.3 years1.70+3cm
1860Henry PowellGBR—Mar 15, 1860Oxford12 d1.675—
1857Hanmer WebbGBR—Mar 17, 1857Cambridge3 years1.675—
1850Francis TempleGBR—Sep 21, 1850Woolwich6.5 years1.675—
1850Thomas RoperGBR—Apr 1, 1850Newcastle6 months1.675—
1839Richard ArmstrongGBR—Aug 5, 1839Dalkeith10.7 years1.675+8cm
1837John PattisonGBR—May 6, 1837Mount Benger2.2 years1.60—
1829Thomas AndersonGBR—Jul 24, 1829Innerleithen7.8 years1.60+3cm
1827Adam WilsonGBR—Sep 26, 1827Innerleithen22 months1.575—
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Javier Sotomayor (Cuba) holds the High Jump Men world record with 2.45, set on July 27, 1993 in Salamanca, Spain.

Patrik Sjöberg (Sweden) held it with 2.42, from June 30, 1987 until September 8, 1988 (1 years).

Elite Trackr's progression lists 68 improvements since 1827, when Adam Wilson set 1.575.