The Women's high jump event at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Daegu Stadium on September 1 and 3.
Russia's Anna Chicherova entered the competition as the favourite with a world leading jump of 2.07 m. Although Blanka Vlašić had won world titles in 2007 and 2009 and was ranked second in the world, she was suffering from a leg injury and decided to compete after having initially withdrawn. Antonietta Di Martino had been the only other woman over 2.00 m that year. Emma Green, Venelina Veneva-Mateeva, 2004 Olympic champion Yelena Slesarenko and Ruth Beitia were the other established entrants, while Svetlana Shkolina was fourth in the world rankings. Chaunté Lowe, Ariane Friedrich and reigning Olympic champion Tia Hellebaut were notable absences.[1][2] It took 1.95 to make the final.
The medalists clearly separated from the field in order, each clearing 2.00 Chicherova on her first, Vlašić on her second and Di Martino on her third. At 2.03 Chicherova remained clean while Vlašić again needed two attempts, with Di Martino unable to make the height. At 2.05, neither was able to make it, though Vlašić looked closer. After years of finishing one place behind Vlašić in major meets, it was the first time Chicherova was able to reverse those results.
Records
| World record |
 Stefka Kostadinova (BUL) |
2.09 |
Rome, Italy |
30 August 1987 |
| Championship record |
Stefka Kostadinova (BUL) |
2.09 |
Rome, Italy |
30 August 1987 |
| World leading |
 Anna Chicherova (RUS) |
2.07 |
Cheboksary, Russia |
22 July 2011 |
| African record |
 Hestrie Cloete (RSA) |
2.06 |
Paris, France |
31 August 2003 |
| Asian record |
 Marina Aitova (KAZ) |
1.99 |
Athens, Greece |
13 July 2009 |
| North, Central American and Caribbean record |
 Chaunté Howard Lowe (USA) |
2.05 |
Des Moines, IA, United States |
26 June 2010 |
| South American record |
 Solange Witteveen (ARG) |
1.96 |
Oristano, Italy |
8 September 1997 |
| European record |
Stefka Kostadinova (BUL) |
2.09 |
Rome, Italy |
30 August 1987 |
| Oceanian record |
 Vanessa Browne-Ward (AUS) |
1.98 |
Perth, Australia |
12 February 1989 |
| Alison Inverarity (AUS) |
Ingolstadt, Germany |
17 July 1994 |
Qualification standards
| A standard |
B standard |
| 1.95 |
1.92 |
Results
Qualification
Qualification: Qualifying Performance 1.95 (Q) or at least 12 best performers (q) advance to the final.
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