High jumpers Barshim and Tamberi revel in sharing gold medal
The camaraderie between Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi continued during yesterday's Olympic men's high jump victory ceremony, a day after the pair opted to share the gold medal.
Both Barshim, 30, and Tamberi, 29, cleared 2.37 metres on Sunday. Facing the prospect of a jump-off to decide the winner, Barshim asked the official: "Can we have two golds?"
The official nodded, and the two athletes clasped hands and whooped for joy. Pictures and videos of them in celebration have gone viral on social media.
After climbing on to the podium together yesterday, Barshim and Tamberi presented the gold medals to each other amid more hugs and switched places to face their flags when each national anthem was played.
Barshim had said on Sunday: "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 (for a jump-off).
"He is one of my best friends, not only on the track, but outside the track. We work together. This is a dream come true. It is the true spirit, the sportsman spirit, and we are here delivering this message."
It was the first time since the 1912 Olympics that a gold medal was shared in athletics - both the pentathlon and decathlon had joint-winners at the Stockholm Games.
On the track yesterday, Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan stayed on course for a historic treble by winning the 5,000m in 14min 36.79sec.
Kenya's Hellen Obiri won silver while Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay took the bronze.
Hassan, who recovered from a fall to win her 1,500m heat in the morning, is also eyeing the 10,000m. - REUTERS
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