Touch is legal; knock-off is a miss
Vaulters often graze the bar with shoulders, hips, or feet during clearance. As long as the bar stays on the standards, the attempt counts. A bar that wobbles and falls before the vaulter exits the pit is a miss.
Yes, you can touch the pole vault bar during an attempt. The attempt is valid if the bar stays on the standards after the vaulter clears. If the bar falls off (during clearance or after) before the vaulter exits the pit, the attempt is recorded as a miss. The same rule applies to the high jump.
Vaulters often graze the bar with shoulders, hips, or feet during clearance. As long as the bar stays on the standards, the attempt counts. A bar that wobbles and falls before the vaulter exits the pit is a miss.
If the bar is dislodged by the vaulter's actions (or by the vaulter's pole rebounding into it) before the vaulter has cleared and landed, it is a miss. Wind dislodging the bar after the vaulter has cleared is not a miss.
If the vaulter's pole knocks the bar off after the vaulter has cleared and is in the pit, the attempt is typically called a miss. Officials use video review at major meets to determine bar contact timing.
Clearing without knocking off requires precise body position over the bar. Most knock-offs are caused by the trailing foot or hip dropping into the bar. AI form check analyzes your clearance and identifies which body segment is the risk.
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