The nearest valid landing mark supplies the reference
The UKA 2026–2028 technical rules measure a horizontal jump from the nearest break in the landing area made by the body or something attached to it, back to the take-off line or its extension. The feet’s first mark is not automatically the nearest mark.
An athlete’s heels land at a point corresponding to 6.40 metres, but a backward handprint lies at 6.18 metres. In this illustrative geometry, concentrating on the heel marks would miss the nearer break. The difference is twenty-two centimetres.
Watch the complete landing
A replay ending as the feet first hit sand can omit the hand contact moments later. Keep the athlete in view until the landing sequence is complete, then identify the nearest relevant mark.
The illustration assumes a valid trial; it does not treat a measurement as proof that no separate failure occurred. It also uses distances back to the take-off line, not the athlete’s actual toe position if they took off short of it. Those two reference choices explain why an impressive flight can receive a smaller official distance than the first camera impression suggests.
Questions answered
Are the heels always the measurement mark?
No.
In the example, why is 6.40 not the relevant distance?
The nearer handprint supplies the shorter reference.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.