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Two Olympians Decide to Share a Gold Medal After a Heartwarming Tie

By Sara Barnes on August 2, 2021

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When it comes to Olympic competition, you only expect one athlete to come out on top and win the gold. But in the 2020 Olympic men’s high jump final, two competitors—and friends—took home a gold medal. Although this sounds bizarre and totally against the rules, thanks to a quirk in the regulations, athletes were able to choose to share first place. When the competition was over, Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar were both awarded the top prize.

So, how did this happen? It began when both men completed a jump of 2.37 meters (7 feet 8 inches). But when both attempted to jump an Olympic-record high of 2.39 meters, they each missed it three times. Because of this, the men had two choices: settle it with a jump-off or share a gold medal. While officials were explaining the ways forward, Barshim cuts in and asks, “Can we have two golds?” He then reaches out to Tamberi and the two embrace; Tamberi goes wild in celebration—it’s his first Olympic medal.

“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,” Barshim said after the co-win.

Although rivals, Tamberi and Barshim are friends outside the high jump event. They met at a competition in Canada in 2010 and have been there for each other ever since. “He's one of my best friends. Not only on the track but outside of the track,” Barshim shared. “We're always together almost. True spirit, sportsmen spirit, coming here and delivering this message.”