The Tokyo Olympics 2020 is turning out to be a roller-coaster emotional ride, both for athletes and spectators alike. The likes of Simone Biles, Elina Svitolina, are just a few athletes who have been in headlines for displaying a true spirit of what it means to be an Olympian. Well, we have two more names to add to that list.
Olympic track and field athletes Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy both took part in the men’s high jump event on Sunday. They both made it to the final stage of the event, clearing the 2.37-metre mark without a single failed attempt.
However, both athletes failed in their attempt to clear 2.39 metres which brought the event to a stalemate. What followed next was truly the perfect embodiment of sportsmanship, one for the ages.
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Mutaz Essa Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi both win gold at Tokyo Olympics
Mutaz Essa Barshim🇶🇦 and Gianmarco Tamberi🇮🇹 have won #gold in #Athletics – Men's High Jump at #Tokyo2020#UnitedByEmotion | #StrongerTogether | #Olympics
— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) August 1, 2021
After consulting with Olympic officials, Mutaz and Gianmarco both agreed to share the gold medal. Upon realization of winning his first Olympic medal, Tamberi broke out in an exuberant display of affection towards Barshim. The Italian began to cry profusely as he ran around the stadium with tears flowing down his cheek.
At the start of the last decade, Barshim won bronze at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London which was later upgraded to silver. The Qatari athlete later picked up another silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics four years later. He also won two successive world titles in 2017 and 2019.
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Gianmarco, who is coached by his father Marco Tamberi, is a well-known figure in the world indoor championships circuit. He is known for sporting a full beard during qualification and shaving half of it for the final. However, this was his first Olympic medal on the global stage.
History made 😍
Gold medal for both Mutaz Essa Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi after the two athletes agree on it!#Olympics #athletics #TokyoOlympics2021 pic.twitter.com/zpWXVmsuiw
— George Orfanakis (@G_Orfan) August 1, 2021
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Belarus national Maksim Nedasekau also cleared the 2.37 mark but had more failed attempts as compared to the gold medalists. He was handed the bronze medal at the men’s high jump final event earlier today.
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