At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the crowd eagerly awaited another unforgettable performance from Gianmarco Tamberi in the high jump. The Tokyo Olympics gold medalist and reigning world champion had set expectations sky-high, but his fans were left stunned when he failed to even qualify for the final round. This disappointing result was especially heartbreaking, as Tamberi had hinted at retiring after the Paris Games, hoping to bow out of the sport with another gold medal.

But the Italian high-jump sensation isn’t ready to hang up his spikes just yet. Shaking off the Paris setback, Tamberi made a triumphant return at the 2024 Silesia Diamond League, clearing 2.31m to claim victory in the men’s high jump on August 25. With his sights now set on the Rome Diamond League on August 30, the three-time European champion has quashed any rumors of retirement.

During a press conference ahead of the Rome Diamond League, Tamberi addressed the speculation about his future. “Are you going to compete next year? Until Los Angeles that’s Normal my answer, well, we’ll see,” he began, reflecting on his journey and the unexpected turn of events in Paris. “The Olympics didn’t go as I expected. I was prepared to make that the last competition of my career. I believed I had the skills to win, but things didn’t go as planned. Still, if I hadn’t given it my all, I would have been disappointed in myself. Right now, I feel a fire within me—a drive that pushes me to compete again next year. I know my worth, and there are many factors to consider for next year, but I’m not done yet.”

Tamberi’s resilience and determination have shown through once again with his remarkable win in Silesia, proving that even after a major setback, he has the heart of a champion. With his renewed focus and competitive spirit, the world eagerly awaits to see what the Italian high jumper will achieve next.

Gianmarco Tamberi’s Paris Olympics Experience was a big heartbreak

Gianmarco Tamberi made history when he shared the gold in the high jump with Qatari Mutaz Essa Barshim in the Tokyo Olympics. Both high jumpers scaled the 2.37m mark, unable to beat the height of 2.39m. After discussing it with the officials, they agreed to share the gold. Fast forward four years after the iconic silver, the 2024 European outdoor champion was a hot favorite to claim the podium once again. But the Paris Olympics turned out to be a series of heartbreaks for the ace Italian high jumper.

First, the Italian Jumper lost his wedding ring in the Seine River while performing flag-bearing duties during the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on July 26. He shared on Instagram that Seine River is the new home for his wedding ring. As if that wasn’t enough of a disappointment, just three days before the qualifying round, Tamberi was hospitalized after experiencing a stabbing side pain. Sharing his ordeal on Instagram, Tamberi captioned, “Unbelievable… this can’t be true. Yesterday… I felt a stabbing pain in my side.” Temberi returned to the game but missed the final rounds after failing to hit the required height of 2.27m. That was the end of Tamberi’s campaign in the Paris Olympics. However, the star Italian Jumper seems to have left the disappointment behind and is ready to dominate the game once again.