Budapest – Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim missed a fourth straight title and took bronze with 2.33m while Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi (with whom Barshim shared the gold at Tokyo Olympics in 2021) won the men’s world high jump title after a fascinating contest of the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre on Tuesday night.
Tamberi managed a best of 2.36 metres to win on countback from American JuVaughn Harrison, who took silver.
Barshim, the three-time defending champion had a stuttering start at 2.25m and faltered at four of his seven jumps (clearing 2.25m, 2.29 and 2.33m). He then failed at 2.36 in all his three attempts.
Tamberi , with a half-shaven face, meanwhile cleared 2.36m in his first go and later aimed for 2.38 but couldn’t in all three chances but his gold remained secure as Harrison, who cleared 2.36 in his second attempt also could not scale 2.38.