Olympic high jumpers Mutaz Essa Barshim from Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi from Italy, decided to share the gold medal after both landing their high jumps at 2.37 metres and missing the next mark of 2.39 metres. They tried three times each to reach the next mark before tying for first place.
In such cases, the athletes usually compete in a 'jump-off' to determine who the gold medal winner is. But, while the official began to explain the options to the athletes, Barshim asked:
"Can we have two golds?"
The official responding:
"It's possible. It depends, if you both decide..."
At that moment, the two jumpers looked at each other, nodded, and started celebrating while embracing.
SHARING A GOLDEN MOMENT 🥇
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 1, 2021
Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi and Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim will share GOLD in high jump pic.twitter.com/MHBHqMlogC
The two opponents have been competing for more than a decade and have built a friendship. Their choice has a historical significance as the previous time where competing track and field Olympians shared the gold medal podium was back in 1912.
The friendship and camaraderie between the two athletes are palpable and their immediate decision to share the gold truly embodies the Olympic spirit.
According to the CBC, Barshim said:
"I look at him, he looks at me, and we know it. We just look at each other and we know, that is it, it is done. There is no need."
Adding:
"He is one of my best friends, not only on the track, but outside the track. We work together. This is a dream come true. It is the true spirit, the sportsman spirit, and we are here delivering this message."
Barshim had won the silver medal in the Rio 2016 Olympics, but Tamberi had suffered a career-threatening injury that impeded him from taking part in the 2016 Games.
Tamberi told CNN:
"After my injuries, I just wanted to come back. But now I have this gold, it's incredible. I dreamed of this so many times. I was told in 2016 just before Rio, there was a risk I wouldn't be able to compete anymore. It's been a long journey."
[h/t: Upworthy]
COMMENTS