If the names Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Essa Barshim don’t ring a bell, their unforgettable display of Olympic sportsmanship from the 2020 Tokyo Games likely will.
As many remember, rather than competing fiercely against each other in the final round of the high jump final that year, the two athletes famously chose to share a historic victory.
Barshim, a native of Qatar, asked an official if he and his Italian opponent could both receive gold medals. When the request was approved, the two men jumped for joy, and no silver medal was awarded.
"Can we have two gold? … History my friend"
An incredible moment where Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim asks the official if he and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi can share the gold medal in men's high jump š„ pic.twitter.com/97y9yEEKr3
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 1, 2021
Fast forward to the current Olympics, and the two high jumpers, who once stood together atop the podium, were reunited in Paris’ Stade de France for the qualifiers on Wednesday.
Unfortunately, this time, the reunion happened under less happy circumstances.
Both Barshim and Tamberi struggled with the 2.27-meter mark during the high jump qualification. Tamberi missed his second attempt just before it was Barshim’s turn.
Barshim then ran towards the bar but suddenly stopped, hopping on one leg and falling to the ground, clearly in pain.
But before medical officials could reach the 33-year-old, Tamberi was the first to rush to his side and offer help.
The Italian, who is likely participating in his final Olympics, could be seen stretching his opponent’s foot and leg while offering words of encouragement.
From a cramp to 2.27mš
Defending Olympic champion @mutazbarshim looks on his way to high jump final šŖ#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/Pu10opbKOd
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 7, 2024
Thankfully, with a little help from his friend, Barshim returned to the event to clear the 2.27-metre mark, allowing him to claim a spot in the final.
That means he and Tamberi, who claimed the second spot in Group B, will once again compete against each other for an Olympic medal on Sunday.
And if they miraculously find themselves neck and neck for gold, we all know where they might land on the podium ā here’s hoping it’s big enough for two.