Korkeushyppääjä

Korkeushyppääjä is the Finnish word for a high jumper, an athlete who competes in the athletics event of high jump. The objective of high jump is for an athlete to leap unaided over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights. The jumper's run-up, approach, and take-off technique are crucial elements for achieving maximum height.

The modern high jump typically involves a curved approach run, allowing the athlete to generate speed and rotational momentum. The most common technique used today is the Fosbury Flop, where the athlete approaches the bar at an angle, leaps upwards, and arches their back over the bar head-first, landing on their back. Other historical techniques include the straddle, western roll, and scissors kick.

Athletes are eliminated if they fail to clear the bar three consecutive times at any given height. The competition continues until only one athlete remains, or until all remaining athletes have failed at a particular height. The winner is the athlete who successfully clears the highest bar. Elite korkeushyppääjät possess a combination of explosive power, agility, and precise timing. The world record for men is held by Javier Sotomayor of Cuba, and for women, by Stefka Kostadinova of Bulgaria.