1987 World Championships in Athletics – Women's high jump

Stefka Kostadinova came into the competition as the world record holder at 2.08m and favorite, but it was not going to be uncontested. Soviet Tamara Bykova was the defending champion and the woman Kostadinova replaced as world record holder, her Bulgarian teammate, Lyudmila Andonova was also a finalist, though she was untested following a 2-year doping suspension.

By 2.02m the rest of the competition had topped out, the last being Susanne Beyer clearing 1.99m, Bykova and Kostadinova still having a clean round. Jumping first, Bykova continued clean at 2.04m, but Kostadinova took three tries to stay alive in the competition, putting Bykova in the driver's seat. After Bykova missed a second time at 2.06m, Kostadinova cleared, taking the lead. Bykova passed to take a heroic attempt to equal the world record, 3 cm over her personal best, her only chance for the win. Bykova missed and the medals were settled.

Having nothing to gain from equalling her own world record, Kostadinova passed to 2.09 m (6 ft 10 ¹⁄₄ in). On her second attempt, she bounded over, not even touching the bar. Kostadinova's world record has stood since.

• All times are Central European Time (UTC+1)

• All results shown are in metres

• National champions high jump (women)
• 1984 Women's Olympic High Jump (Los Angeles)
• 1984 Women's Friendship Games High Jump (Prague)
• 1986 Women's European Championships High Jump (Stuttgart)
• 1988 Women's Olympic High Jump (Seoul)
• 1990 Women's European Championships High Jump (Split)
• 1991 Women's World Championships High Jump (Tokyo)

• Results