PARIS (Reuters) -New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr won gold in the men’s Olympic high jump on Saturday with a best effort of 2.36 metres after a long and gruelling final, securing his country’s first medal in the event.
Defending champion Mutaz Barshim of Qatar got the bronze with a season’s best 2.34, leading to a war of attrition between Kerr and American Shelby McEwen as they sparred for the gold.
Both started to tire and failed to make it over 2.38m in three attempts. The bar was lowered back to 2.36, then to 2.34, which Kerr was the first to clear and clinch victory.
After sailing over the bar, the Kiwi ran into the middle of the field and flopped onto the grass in joy and relief. It was an impressive result for McEwen, too, a personal best and a huge improvement after finishing 12th in Tokyo.
Barshim was likely feeling a sense of deja vu as he watched the duel. It was after such a stalemate in the Tokyo final that he and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi decided to share the gold medal.
The Qatari did a celebratory backflip off the mat after his last jump, with the bronze his fourth medal in as many Olympic appearances.
Tamberi, who was suffering from kidney colic, fell out of contention early on, distraught after failing to clear 2.27m.
(Reporting by Helen Reid; Editing by Ken Ferris and Ed Osmond)
