Hamish Kerr from New Zealand secured his country’s first gold medal in the high jump event after a dramatic jump-off against American athlete Shelby McEwen. Both competitors failed to clear the height of 2.38 meters in their initial attempts, but instead of sharing the gold, they opted for a jump-off to determine the sole winner.
During the jump-off, both missed their first jump at 2.38 meters, prompting officials to lower the bar to 2.36 meters, where they again failed to clear the height. With the bar set to 2.34 meters, McEwen missed again, while Kerr succeeded, earning him the gold medal. McEwen took home the silver. Both athletes had previously won gold and silver, respectively, at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow earlier this year. Qatari athlete Mutaz Essa Barshim earned the bronze medal, marking his fourth Olympic medal in high jump and his ninth overall global championship medal in this category.
Prior to the competition, it was anticipated to be competitive as the previous Olympic co-gold medalists, Barshim and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi, faced significant health issues. Tamberi had to be treated in the emergency room for kidney colic just hours before competing, while Barshim competed with an injured calf during the preliminary round.
Tamberi was able to clear heights of 2.17 meters and 2.22 meters but fell short at 2.27 meters, ending his defense of the Olympic title. A total of six jumpers successfully cleared 2.31 meters, with four managing to clear 2.34 meters. At the 2.36 meters mark, only Barshim, Italian Stefano Sottile, McEwen, and Kerr remained in contention. Ultimately, only McEwen and Kerr cleared this height, with Kerr’s clearance setting a new Oceanian record.