| Host City: Seoul, South Korea |
Format: Top 12 and ties and all those clearing 1.92 metres advanced to the final. |
| Date Started: September 29, 1988 |
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| Date Finished: September 30, 1988 |
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| (Competitors: 24; Nations: 15; Finalists: 12) |
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Venue(s): Olympic Stadium, Seoul Sports Complex, Seoul
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| Overview by IAAF |
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| Of the 29 competitions at 2.04 or better prior to Seoul, Kostadinova owned 25; she was a prohibitive favourite, and looked the best jumper at all heights up to 2.03. All finalists had cleared 1.92 to qualify, but just seven made 1.93 in the final and three of these would miss at 1.96. Kostadinova cleared 1.99 and 2.01 cleanly, heights which Ritter also made, though hitting the bar each time. Bykova beat Turchak for bronze by getting over 1.99 though clipping the bar with her heels. The 1983 World Champion failed at 2.01, and just two were left. Both missed at 2.03, though the Bulgarian was closer. With no misses a jump-off was required. Kostadinova missed, and Ritter again hit the bar, but it stayed on to give the American a shock win. Less importantly, it equalled her North American record. |
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| Summary by Sports-reference.com |
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| By 1988 the dominant high jumper in the world was Bulgaria's Stefka Kostadinova. She had won the 1986 European Championships and the 1987 World Championships, and had set three world records in 1986-87. The last in August 1987 was 2.09 (6-10¼) metres, a mark which lasted through 2008 as the world record. Also considered was Tamara Bykova (URS), the 1983 World Champion and a three-time world record setter, but she was not expected to beat Kostadinova. Bykova cleared 1.99 metres (6-6¼) on her third attempt but went out at 2.01 (6-7). Only Kostadinova and American Louise Ritter would clear that height, and both were perfect to that point. Neither succeeded at 2.03 metres (6-7¾), so they began a jump-off, returning to 2.03. At that height Ritter went over on her first attempt, Kostadinova missed, and Louise Ritter won a huge upset gold medal. The jump also equaled her American record. |
Records
These were the standing World and Olympic records (in metres) prior to the 1988 Summer Olympics.
The following Olympic record was set during this competition.
| Date | Event | Athlete | Height | OR | WR |
|---|
| September 30, 1988 |
Final |
 Louise Ritter (USA) |
2.03m |
OR |
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Results |
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| High jump |
Women |
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|
Final |
30 September |
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| Rank |
Mark |
|
|
Athlete |
Country |
NOC |
Birth Date |
Records |
| 1 |
2.03 |
|
|
Louise Ritter |
United States |
USA |
18 Feb 58 |
AR |
| 2 |
2.01 |
|
|
Stefka Kostadinova |
Bulgaria |
BUL |
25 Mar 65 |
|
| 3 |
1.99 |
|
|
Tamara Bykova |
Soviet Union |
URS |
21 Dec 58 |
|
| 4 |
1.96 |
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Olga Turchak |
Soviet Union |
URS |
5 Mar 67 |
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| 5 |
1.93 |
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Lyudmila Andonova |
Bulgaria |
BUL |
6 May 60 |
|
| 5 |
1.93 |
|
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Alina Astafei |
Romania |
ROU |
7 Jun 69 |
|
| 7 |
1.93 |
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Christine Stanton |
Australia |
AUS |
12 Dec 59 |
|
| 8 |
1.90 |
|
|
Kim Hee-sun |
South Korea |
KOR |
20 Apr 63 |
|
| 8 |
1.90 |
|
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Diana Davies |
Great Britain |
GBR |
7 May 61 |
|
| 10 |
1.90 |
|
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Maryse Maury |
France |
FRA |
4 Sep 64 |
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| 11 |
1.90 |
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Megumi Sato |
Japan |
JPN |
13 Sep 66 |
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| 12 |
1.90 |
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Janet Boyle |
Great Britain |
GBR |
25 Jul 63 |
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| High jump |
Women |
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Qualification |
29 September |
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| Rank |
Mark |
|
|
Athlete |
Country |
NOC |
Birth Date |
Records |
| 1 |
1.92 |
|
|
Megumi Sato |
Japan |
JPN |
13 Sep 66 |
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| 1 |
1.92 |
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Tamara Bykova |
Soviet Union |
URS |
21 Dec 58 |
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| 1 |
1.92 |
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Kim Hee-sun |
South Korea |
KOR |
20 Apr 63 |
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| 4 |
1.92 |
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Janet Boyle |
Great Britain |
GBR |
25 Jul 63 |
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| 4 |
1.92 |
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Alina Astafei |
Romania |
ROU |
7 Jun 69 |
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| 4 |
1.92 |
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Olga Turchak |
Soviet Union |
URS |
5 Mar 67 |
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| 7 |
1.92 |
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Maryse Maury |
France |
FRA |
4 Sep 64 |
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| 8 |
1.92 |
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Diana Davies |
Great Britain |
GBR |
7 May 61 |
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| 8 |
1.92 |
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Lyudmila Andonova |
Bulgaria |
BUL |
6 May 60 |
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| 8 |
1.92 |
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Stefka Kostadinova |
Bulgaria |
BUL |
25 Mar 65 |
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| 11 |
1.92 |
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Christine Stanton |
Australia |
AUS |
12 Dec 59 |
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| 11 |
1.92 |
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Louise Ritter |
United States |
USA |
18 Feb 58 |
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| 13 |
1.90 |
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Heike Henkel |
West Germany |
FRG |
5 May 64 |
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| 14 |
1.90 |
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Vanessa Ward |
Australia |
AUS |
5 Jan 63 |
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| 15 |
1.90 |
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Jin Ling |
China |
CHN |
25 Jan 67 |
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| 16 |
1.90 |
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Jo Steele |
Great Britain |
GBR |
20 Sep 69 |
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| 17 |
1.87 |
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Lyudmila Avdeyenko |
Soviet Union |
URS |
14 Dec 63 |
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| 18 |
1.87 |
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Coleen Sommer |
United States |
USA |
6 Jun 60 |
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| 19 |
1.84 |
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Trish King |
United States |
USA |
27 Aug 62 |
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| 20 |
1.84 |
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Madely Beaugendre |
France |
FRA |
22 Sep 65 |
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| 21 |
1.84 |
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Cristina Fink |
Mexico |
MEX |
12 Dec 64 |
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| 22 |
1.80 |
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Biljana Petrović |
Yugoslavia |
YUG |
28 Feb 61 |
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| 23 |
1.80 |
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Su Chun-Yueh |
Chinese Taipei |
TPE |
27 Oct 70 |
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| 24 |
1.75 |
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Lucienne N'Da |
Cote d'Ivoire |
CIV |
6 Jul 65 |
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Women High Jump Olympic Games 1988 Seoul (KOR) - Friday 30.09
| Final |
Team |
Height |
N TF |
175 |
180 |
185 |
190 |
193 |
196 |
199 |
201 |
203 |
| 1. Louise Ritter |
USA |
2.03m |
1 3 |
|
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
XXXO |
| 2. Stefka Kostadinova |
BUL |
2.01m |
1 0 |
|
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
XXXX |
| 3. Tamara Bykova |
URS |
1.99m |
3 3 |
|
O |
O |
O |
O |
XO |
XXO |
XXX |
| 4. Olga Tourtchak |
URS |
1.96m |
1 1 |
|
O |
O |
XO |
O |
O |
XXX |
| 5. Galina Astafei |
ROM |
1.93m |
1 0 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
XXX |
| 5. Lyudmila Andonova |
BUL |
1.93m |
1 0 |
|
O |
O |
O |
O |
XXX |
| 7. Christine Tanton |
AUS |
1.93m |
1 1 |
|
O |
O |
O |
XO |
XXX |
| 8. Diana Davies |
GBR |
1.90m |
1 0 |
|
O |
O |
O |
XXX |
| 8. Hee-Sun Kim |
KOR |
1.90m |
1 0 |
|
O |
O |
O |
XXX |
| 10.Maryse Ewanje-Epee |
FRA |
1.90m |
2 1 |
|
O |
O |
XO |
XXX |
| 11.Megumi Sato |
JPN |
1.90m |
3 2 |
|
O |
O |
XXO |
XXX |
| 12.Janet Boyle |
GBR |
1.90m |
3 3 |
|
O |
XO |
XXO |
XXX |
| Qualification - Thursday 29.09 |
mark 1.92m 12 Athletes |
| Group A |
Team |
Height |
N TF |
170 |
175 |
180 |
184 |
187 |
190 |
192 |
| 1. Hee-Sun Kim |
KOR |
1.92m |
1 0 |
|
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
| 2. Olga Turtchak |
URS |
1.92m |
1 1 |
|
|
O |
O |
O |
XO |
O |
| 3. Janet Boyle |
GBR |
1.92m |
1 1 |
|
O |
O |
O |
XO |
O |
O |
| 4. Maryse Wanje-Epee |
FRA |
1.92m |
1 3 |
|
O |
0 |
XO |
XO |
XO |
O |
| 5. Stefka Kostadinova |
BUL |
1.92m |
2 1 |
|
|
O |
O |
|
O |
XO |
| 6. Heike Edetzky |
FRG |
1.90m |
1 0 |
|
|
O |
|
O |
O |
XXX |
| 7. Vanessa Rowne |
AUS |
1.90m |
2 4 |
|
O |
0 |
XO |
XXO |
XO |
XXX |
| 8. Ling In |
CHN |
1.90m |
3 2 |
|
O |
O |
O |
O |
XXO |
XXX |
| 9. Patricia Ing |
USA |
1.84m |
1 0 |
|
O |
O |
O |
XXX |
| 10.Cristina Fink |
MEX |
1.84m |
3 2 |
|
O |
O |
XXO |
XXX |
| 11.Biljana Petrovic |
YUG |
1.80m |
1 1 |
O |
XO |
O |
XXX |
| 12.Lucienne N' Da |
CIV |
1.75m |
3 2 |
O |
XXO |
XXX |
| Group B |
Team |
Height |
N TF |
170 |
175 |
180 |
184 |
187 |
190 |
192 |
| 1. Megumi Sato |
JPN |
1.92m |
1 0 |
|
|
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
| 2. Tamara Bykova |
URS |
1.92m |
1 0 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
| 3. Galina Astafei |
ROM |
1.92m |
1 1 |
|
O |
O |
XO |
O |
O |
O |
| 4. Lyudmila Andonova |
BUL |
1.92m |
2 1 |
|
|
O |
O |
O |
O |
XO |
| 4. Diana Davies |
GBR |
1.92m |
2 1 |
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|
O |
O |
O |
O |
XO |
| 6. Louise Ritter |
USA |
1.92m |
3 3 |
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|
O |
XO |
O |
XXO |
| 7. Christine Tanton |
AUS |
1.92m |
3 3 |
|
|
XO |
O |
O |
O |
XXO |
| 8. Jo Jennings |
GBR |
1.90m |
3 4 |
|
O |
O |
XO |
XO |
XXO |
XXX |
| 9. Liodmila Avdeenko |
URS |
1.87m |
1 0 |
|
|
O |
O |
O |
XXX |
| 10.Coleen Sommer |
USA |
1.87m |
2 1 |
|
|
O |
O |
XO |
XXX |
| 11.Madely Beaugendre |
FRA |
1.84m |
1 1 |
|
O |
XO |
O |
XXX |
| 12.Chun-Yueh Su |
TPE |
1.80m |
2 1 |
O |
O |
XO |
XXX |
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