Tokyo 2020: Barshim and Tamberi’s Unforgettable Shared Gold Medal Moment
Two friends ended up sharing Olympic Gold back during the Tokyo Games. Yes, you heard that right.
Let us dive into this special story to commemorate a moment of true Olympic camaraderie.
How It All Happened
For years, Qatari high jumper Mutaz Barshim and Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi have been competing against each other. Through the years, they ended up becoming friends.
Then came the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games back in 2021, where the two once again competed against each other.
This time, they faced an unexpected moment. After competing perfectly throughout the Olympics, the two athletes were faced with the bar being set at an Olympic record height of seven feet ten inches.
The two athletes missed the jump after three tries. That is when officials came and gave both the athletes the option of settling the tie with a jump-off. Instead, the unexpected happened. Barshim asked the officials if he and Tamberi could have two Olympic gold medals instead.
True Camaraderie
At that moment, Tamberi was completely elated. He literally leaped up and hugged Barshim tightly. The two then proudly stood together on the podium and shared the Olympic gold medal victory.
They are considered the first Olympians to do so in over a century.
Do we expect yet another moment of camaraderie during this year’s Olympics? Our fingers are definitely crossed in anticipation.
