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Update: Missed Water JumpNovember 21, 2004
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Last month we wrote about steeplers who fail to clear the water jump and its barrier, a problem we have observed and about which we have received comments over the years.
Such failure may happen if an athlete runs at one side of a pack attempting simultaneous clearance of a 3.66m (12 feet) barrier, a width comparable to only three regular hurdles. An athlete with "no place to go" may trail a foot to one side of the barrier or be crowded off the narrow path to the water. Disqualification follows.
A runner may have a mental lapse and stay on the track, failing to turn into the special runway that leads to the water jump. This also draws a disqualification. Post-race discussion may reveal that the runner has in different meets not experienced consistent placement of the runway, of the water jump, or even the on-track steeple barriers.
Steeplers have shared their belief that there is no cure for a missed barrier or pit, possibly because none has been described in the rules. We reduced that to appellate court language in asking: Can a steepler turn around after a miss and go back to the water jump approach for a second attempt, similar to the high jump although falling behind in the race?
An experienced official replied to us that if an athlete turned around and returned to a point where she could make a second attempt, and did so successfully, she would not be disqualified. That seems reasonable but it requires advance knowledge by athletes and consistent application by all officials -- both assured by support in the rules language.
The relevant IAAF Rule 169.7 says that "Each athlete shall go over or through the water and anyone who steps to the one side or the other of the jump or trails his foot or leg below the horizontal plane of the top of any hurdle at the instant of clearance shall be disqualified." Similar language appears in USATF Rule 169.4 and NCAA Rule 5.7 -- all describing a negative action for which DQ shall result.
A subtle modification of the rule describes the requirement with more positive language, leaving open an athlete's return for a second attempt: "Each competitor must go over or through the water, not stepping to either side of the water or of any hurdle and not trailing a foot or leg below the horizontal plane of any hurdle at the instant of clearance. Unless this is done the competitor shall be disqualified." If that seems insufficient to legitimize a return and retry, then "on the first or subsequent attempt" could be added following "done."
This rule modification now appears as Item 114 of Proposed Amendments to be considered at the USA Track & Field annual meeting Dec. 1-5 in Portland, Oregon. |
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