Question: what happens when you knock down a hurdle

title: Hurdling
text: A modern hurdle will fall over if a runner hits it . There is no penalty for hitting a hurdle ( provided this is not judged deliberate ) . The misconception is based on old rules before the hurdles were weighted . In the 1932 Olympics , Bob Tisdall famously won the Olympic Gold medal in the 400 metre hurdles in World Record time , but was not credited with the record due to knocking over a hurdle . There can be disqualification if a hurdler knocks a hurdle into an opponents lane and it is judged to have interfered with the opponent 's ability to run the race . There are now specifications for the tipping weight of a hurdle ( the weights need to be adjusted to correspond with the height of the hurdle ) so hitting a hurdle theoretically slows down the rhythm of the hurdler . However , pushing the hurdle with one 's hands or running out of one 's lane as a result of hitting the hurdle is cause for disqualification . While hitting hurdles is not generally considered desirable , a few sprint hurdlers have succeeded despite knocking over many hurdles . Contact with hurdles can decrease speed and also result in disruption of a hurdler 's technique . Some coaches suggest if you lightly `` kiss '' the hurdle with the side of the leg closest to the hurdle , it can help with the runners speed by keeping the runner closer to the ground . 

Answer: answer: There is no penalty for hitting a hurdle. However, pushing the hurdle with one's hands or running out of one's lane as a result of hitting the hurdle is cause for disqualification. Contact with hurdles can decrease speed and also result in disruption of a hurdler's technique.