Olympics: High-jump friends say no to competing in jump-off, share gold medal instead

Tokyo: In one of the most exciting high jump competitions in Olympic history, Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi, who both cleared 2.37m, decided to forgo a jump-off and share the Olympic gold.

The men's high jump gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics was on Sunday shared by the Italian and Qatari athletes, both deciding not to participate in a tie-breaking jump-off after they cleared the same height.

Both Barshim, 30, and the 29-year-old Tamberi ended with jumps of 2.37 metres and had no failed attempts until they attempted to clear 2.39.

After three failures each at that height, an Olympic official first offered them a jump-off to decide the winner.

"Can we have two golds?", Barshim asked him.

The official nodded, and the two athletes clasped hands and whooped for joy.

Once both agreed that they don't want to have a jump-off, they passionately embraced each other and went out to celebrate.

"For me, coming here, I know for a fact that for the performance I did, I deserve that gold," Barshim said. "He did the same thing, so I know he deserved that gold."

According to a report on American broadcaster NBC's website, Tambori ran around the stadium in Tokyo. Barshim slowly walked toward his traveling party and broke down in tears, having won bronze at London 2012 and Rio 2016 and now finally winning gold.

Belarus's Maksim Nedasekau cleared 2.37 meters but finished the day with more failed attempts and will leave Tokyo with the bronze medal.