Hamish Kerr holds his nerve to secure high jump glory

Hamish Kerr became the men’s Olympic high jump champion on Saturday night (August 10), winning a dramatic jump-off with Shelby McEwen of the United States.

Unlike the Tokyo Games of 2021, during which Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Essa Barshim famously shared the top prize after they could not be separated, this time the leading contenders opted for the high jump equivalent of a penalty shoot-out.

The jump-off began at 2.38m, the height at which both men had come unstuck in the competition proper. They had each gone clear at 2.36m, a national record for the New Zealander and a PB for his rival, to set up the thrilling climax that captivated the Stade de France crowd.

With every height missed in the jump-off, the bar would be lowered in 2cm increments until someone went over.

That someone was Kerr. Both he and McEwen missed their attempts at 2.38m, then did likewise with 2.36m before the American also knocked the bar off at 2.34m. That left the door open for the Kerr, who took his chance.

With the Stade de France crowd rising to applaud him, the world indoor champion held his arms outstretched in celebration, running halfway down the infield before collapsing in a heap.

Barshim took bronze with a season’s best clearance of 2.34m, making two unsuccessful attempts at 2.36m before passing to have one final throw of the dice at 2.38m. His plan didn’t work but he now has four Olympic gold medals to his name.

One man missing from the final reckoning was Tamberi. It had already been a hugely eventful Olympics for the world and European champion before the final had even begun. First, Italy’s flagbearer lost his wedding ring in the Seine during the opening ceremony, then he had to delay his return to Paris after suffering renal issues and suspected kidney stones.

He managed to make it through the qualification stage but, just hours before the start of the final session at the Stade de France, he was a major doubt to even compete after being taken to hospital, an Instagram post from him stating that he had vomited blood twice.

However, he still made it back on to the Olympic stage, whipping the crowd up in his traditional fashion as he made his entrance.

He went over his opening height of 2.22m at the third time of asking, but could not clear 2.27m and suffered an early exit.

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