New Zealander Hamish Kerr is the world indoor men’s high jump champion after winning a final tour event in Birmingham, England, this morning.
Kerr won the event with 2.28m, the same height as Mexican Erik Portillo. Another Mexican, Edgar Rivera, cleared 2.25m to come third.
Kerr, 26, the Commonwealth champion, recently added 3cm to his New Zealand record in winning at an indoor meet in Slovakia with a height of 2.34m.
In clearing the height Kerr set a new Oceania Indoor record and surpassed the automatic entry standard for this year’s world athletics championships in Budapest.
“I felt good throughout the competition and thanks to the physical prep I’ve done I’m able to jump deeper into the competition,” he said after beating his personal best.
Kerr will now return to New Zealand to take part in the national track and field championships in Wellington from March 2-5.
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