[1][2] The reigning outdoor world champion, Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar, led the field of eleven entries that year with his jump of 2.38 m (7 ft 9+1⁄2 in), set while winning the Asian indoor title.

The previous world indoor champion, Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi, was not present to defend his title, though both minor medallists were present in Great Britain's Robert Grabarz and American Erik Kynard.

In a straight final format, the overall performance of the field was low, with six of the eleven athletes failing to clear more than the opening height of 2.20 m (7 ft 2+1⁄2 in) (Grabarz and former world champion Donald Thomas being the most prominent casualties).

Poland's Sylwester Bednarek failed at the third height of 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in), leaving just Barshim, Kynard, Mateusz Przybylko and Danil Lysenko in contention.

Kynard and Przybylko both failed to achieve that height and the German athlete secured the bronze on countback – his first senior international medal.