New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr, the reigning indoor high jump champion, secured another global gold medal by winning a jump-off with a height of 2.34 meters during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Saturday. This victory came after his American competitor, Shelby McEwen, failed to clear the same height.
Both athletes had successfully cleared up to 2.36m with identical scores before they struggled at 2.38m. Unlike the Tokyo Olympics, where athletes Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Barshim agreed to share gold, Kerr and McEwen decided to compete head-to-head this time.
McEwen praised Kerr, stating, “We’re good buddies, good opponents, and good jumpers when we jump together. He said he wanted to face off, and I was all for it. I’m just ready to celebrate this moment.”
Following his victory, Kerr celebrated enthusiastically, expressing his happiness. “I was just in shock… I knew I had a good one in me,” he said, emphasizing the hard work he and his team had put into their preparations. “In the past, I probably got into the habit of watching those guys a little bit, whereas now I wouldn’t even know what’s going on, I just focus on myself.”
McEwen’s performance mirrored his results from the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, where he finished with personal bests of 2.34m and 2.36m. Kerr’s jump of 2.36m also matched his Oceania record.
Meanwhile, Tamberi faced challenges due to recent injuries, failing to clear beyond 2.22m, while Barshim secured bronze after solid first-time clearances up to 2.34m. Barshim, who now holds multiple Olympic medals, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to compete at the Olympics, stating it was a blessing and describing his journey as remarkable.
In the men’s high jump final, the medalists were:
Gold: Hamish Kerr (NZL) 2.36m =AR
Silver: Shelby McEwen (USA) 2.36m PB
Bronze: Mutaz Barshim (QAT) 2.34m SB