Reference
Hurdle heights and spacings
The height, number of hurdles and distances for every hurdle race and the steeplechase. Senior, U20 and U18 follow the World Athletics rules. Masters follow the World Masters Athletics rules in force from 1 January 2026.
Sprint hurdles, outdoors
| Category | Race | Height | Hurdles | To first | Between | To finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 110 m | 1.067 m (42 in) | 10 | 13.72 m | 9.14 m | 14.02 m |
| U20 men | 110 m | 0.991 m (39 in) | 10 | 13.72 m | 9.14 m | 14.02 m |
| U18 men | 110 m | 0.914 m (36 in) | 10 | 13.72 m | 9.14 m | 14.02 m |
| Women and U20 women | 100 m | 0.838 m (33 in) | 10 | 13.00 m | 8.50 m | 10.50 m |
| U18 women | 100 m | 0.762 m (30 in) | 10 | 13.00 m | 8.50 m | 10.50 m |
400 m and 300 m hurdles
| Category | Race | Height | Hurdles | To first | Between | To finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men and U20 men | 400 m | 0.914 m (36 in) | 10 | 45.00 m | 35.00 m | 40.00 m |
| U18 men | 400 m | 0.838 m (33 in) | 10 | 45.00 m | 35.00 m | 40.00 m |
| Women, U20 and U18 women | 400 m | 0.762 m (30 in) | 10 | 45.00 m | 35.00 m | 40.00 m |
| Men and U20 men | 300 m | 0.914 m (36 in) | 7 | 50.00 m | 35.00 m | 40.00 m |
| U18 men | 300 m | 0.838 m (33 in) | 7 | 50.00 m | 35.00 m | 40.00 m |
| Women, U20 and U18 women | 300 m | 0.762 m (30 in) | 7 | 50.00 m | 35.00 m | 40.00 m |
Indoor hurdles
| Category | Race | Height | Hurdles | To first | Between | To finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 60 m | 1.067 m (42 in) | 5 | 13.72 m | 9.14 m | 9.72 m |
| U20 men | 60 m | 0.991 m (39 in) | 5 | 13.72 m | 9.14 m | 9.72 m |
| U18 men | 60 m | 0.914 m (36 in) | 5 | 13.72 m | 9.14 m | 9.72 m |
| Women and U20 women | 60 m | 0.838 m (33 in) | 5 | 13.00 m | 8.50 m | 13.00 m |
| U18 women | 60 m | 0.762 m (30 in) | 5 | 13.00 m | 8.50 m | 13.00 m |
The 50 m hurdles use the same heights and spacings with 4 hurdles. The run to the finish is 8.86 m for men and 11.50 m for women.
Steeplechase
| Category | Barrier height | 3000 m | 2000 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men and U20 men | 0.914 m (36 in) | 28 barriers + 7 water jumps | 18 barriers + 5 water jumps |
| U18 men | 0.838 m (33 in) | 28 barriers + 7 water jumps | 18 barriers + 5 water jumps |
| Women, U20 and U18 women | 0.762 m (30 in) | 28 barriers + 7 water jumps | 18 barriers + 5 water jumps |
A full lap has five jumps, and the water jump is the fourth. The barriers are spread evenly, about one fifth of a lap apart. In the 3000 m there are no barriers before the first full lap. In the 2000 m the first jump is the third barrier of the lap.
The barriers are at least 3.94 m wide and weigh 80 to 100 kg. The top bar is 0.127 m square. The water jump is 3.66 m long and 3.66 m wide. The water is 0.50 m deep next to the barrier for about 1.20 m, then the bottom slopes up to track level. Pits built to the earlier 2018–19 specification are still allowed.
Masters hurdles
World Masters Athletics changed these specifications on 1 January 2026. Older documents show different values for some age groups. Heights are written as WMA writes them. WMA gives the 33-inch height as 0.840 m, where World Athletics gives 0.838 m: 2 mm apart, inside the 3 mm tolerance.
Women
| Age | Race | Height | Hurdles | To first | Between | To finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35–39 | 100 m | 0.840 m | 10 | 13 m | 8.5 m | 10.5 m |
| 40–49 | 80 m | 0.762 m | 8 | 12 m | 8 m | 12 m |
| 50–59 | 80 m | 0.762 m | 8 | 12 m | 7 m | 19 m |
| 60–69 | 80 m | 0.686 m | 8 | 12 m | 7 m | 19 m |
| 70+ | 80 m | 0.686 m | 8 | 11 m | 6 m | 27 m |
| 35–49 | 400 m | 0.762 m | 10 | 45 m | 35 m | 40 m |
| 50–59 | 300 m | 0.762 m | 7 | 50 m | 35 m | 40 m |
| 60–69 | 300 m | 0.686 m | 7 | 50 m | 35 m | 40 m |
| 70+ | 200 m | 0.686 m | 5 | 20 m | 35 m | 40 m |
Men
| Age | Race | Height | Hurdles | To first | Between | To finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35–49 | 110 m | 0.991 m | 10 | 13.72 m | 9.14 m | 14.02 m |
| 50–59 | 100 m | 0.914 m | 10 | 13 m | 8.5 m | 10.5 m |
| 60–69 | 100 m | 0.840 m | 10 | 12 m | 8 m | 16 m |
| 70–79 | 80 m | 0.762 m | 8 | 12 m | 7 m | 19 m |
| 80+ | 80 m | 0.686 m | 8 | 11 m | 6 m | 27 m |
| 35–49 | 400 m | 0.914 m | 10 | 45 m | 35 m | 40 m |
| 50–59 | 400 m | 0.840 m | 10 | 45 m | 35 m | 40 m |
| 60–69 | 300 m | 0.762 m | 7 | 50 m | 35 m | 40 m |
| 70–79 | 300 m | 0.686 m | 7 | 50 m | 35 m | 40 m |
| 80+ | 200 m | 0.686 m | 5 | 20 m | 35 m | 40 m |
Masters indoor 60 m hurdles
| Age | Height | Hurdles | To first | Between | To finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women 35–39 | 0.840 m | 5 | 13 m | 8.5 m | 13 m |
| Women 40–49 | 0.762 m | 5 | 12 m | 8 m | 16 m |
| Women 50–59 | 0.762 m | 5 | 12 m | 7 m | 20 m |
| Women 60–69 | 0.686 m | 5 | 12 m | 7 m | 20 m |
| Women 70+ | 0.686 m | 5 | 11 m | 6 m | 25 m |
| Men 35–49 | 0.991 m | 5 | 13.72 m | 9.14 m | 9.72 m |
| Men 50–59 | 0.914 m | 5 | 13 m | 8.5 m | 13 m |
| Men 60–69 | 0.840 m | 5 | 12 m | 8 m | 16 m |
| Men 70–79 | 0.762 m | 5 | 12 m | 7 m | 20 m |
| Men 80+ | 0.686 m | 5 | 11 m | 6 m | 25 m |
Masters steeplechase: women run 2000 m over 0.762 m barriers. Men aged 35–59 run 3000 m over 0.838 m barriers, and 0.914 m barriers are also accepted. Men aged 60 and over run 2000 m over 0.762 m barriers.
The hurdle itself
A hurdle is 1.18 m to 1.20 m wide and weighs at least 10 kg. Its counterweights are set so that, at every height, a horizontal force equal to the weight of 3.6 kg to 4 kg at the centre of the top bar tips it over. Every height in the tables has a tolerance of 3 mm either way. For the U20 men’s 110 m hurdles, hurdles up to 1.000 m are also accepted because of manufacturing differences.
Limits
- National youth categories, such as Italian or American school and club age groups, often use other heights and spacings. They are not covered here. Check your federation’s rules.
- The inch values are rounded to the nearest inch.
- Rules change. The sources and their dates are below.
Sources
Senior, U20 and U18: World Athletics Technical Rules, Rule 22 (Hurdle Races), Rule 23 (Steeplechase Races) and the short track hurdle rule, in the World Athletics Book of Rules, last amended 3 December 2025. Masters: World Masters Athletics Rules, Appendix A, Hurdle, Steeplechase and Implement Specifications, effective 1 January 2026, as published by USATF Masters. StrideBuddy is not affiliated with World Athletics or World Masters Athletics.
Questions
How high are the hurdles in the 110 m hurdles?
1.067 m (42 in) for senior men, 0.991 m (39 in) for U20 men and 0.914 m (36 in) for U18 men. There are 10 hurdles: 13.72 m to the first, 9.14 m between hurdles and 14.02 m from the last hurdle to the finish.
How high are the hurdles in the women’s 100 m hurdles?
0.838 m (33 in) for senior and U20 women, and 0.762 m (30 in) for U18 women. There are 10 hurdles: 13.00 m to the first, 8.50 m between hurdles and 10.50 m from the last hurdle to the finish.
How high are the hurdles in the 400 m hurdles?
0.914 m (36 in) for senior and U20 men, 0.838 m (33 in) for U18 men and 0.762 m (30 in) for all women’s categories. There are 10 hurdles: 45 m to the first, 35 m between hurdles and 40 m from the last hurdle to the finish.
How many barriers are there in the 3000 m steeplechase?
28 barrier jumps and 7 water jumps, 35 jumps in all. The barriers are 0.914 m (36 in) high for senior and U20 men, 0.838 m (33 in) for U18 men and 0.762 m (30 in) for women.
Hurdle reps get their own records.
StrideBuddy is a training diary for track athletes. Structured sessions support hurdles and steeplechase. Hurdle and steeplechase reps have their own records, apart from flat reps. Your 400m and 400m hurdles race records also stay apart.