If it were up to us, all Olympians would get medals at the Tokyo 2020 2021 Olympics. Incidentally, the next-best thing happened late on Sunday night when two high jumpers from Italy and Qatar decided to share the gold.
Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi (29), Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim (30) and Belarus’ Maksim Nedasekau (23) had all managed to clear the 2.37m mark, but weren’t able to jump any higher, 7News repots. The Belarussian high jumper had more failed attempts and therefore took out bronze, but the other two were were literally neck and neck.
Unable to progress any higher, an official approached the two to discuss some kind of a jump-off.
“Can we have two golds?” Qarar’s Barshim asked the official.
The dude replied: “It’s possible.”
Barshim was the first to nod at the prospect of a joint-first place. He looked at Italy’s Tamberi, who got super giddy and nodded in agreement.
When the two high jumpers realised they were both getting the gold, they became ecstatic and burst into celebration. Tamberi literally jumped into Barshim’s arms and gave him the most wholesome hug ever. You can watch it here.
“He is one of my best friends, not only on the track, but outside the track. We work together,” Barshim said afterwards.
“This is a dream come true. It is the true spirit, the sportsman spirit, and we are here delivering this message.”
Shortly after embracing one and other, the two high jumpers scurried all over the stadium hugging their fellow athletes and members of their respective countries’ delegations in the audience.
This is what we love to see: two athletes at the height of their performance (pun intended!!!) sharing the glory at the Olympics together. They’re both kings and they’re both champions.
