Kiwi high jump gold medallist Hamish Kerr has explained why he decided not to share the victory as was done in the Tokyo Olympics final and elect for a jump-off instead, saying it would be "so sick" to add to track and field history in a "different way".
The 27-year-old won New Zealand's record ninth Olympic gold in Paris overnight after a dramatic jump-off against Shelby McEwen of the United States at the Stade de France that lasted more than 30 minutes.
In Tokyo three years ago, Qatar's Mutaz Barshim and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi were in the same position and ended up shaking hands and sharing the gold medal.
However, Kerr told 1News he had previously decided months before if he were to get into that position it would be "so sick" to add to history by doing the jump off.
"Those guys are best mates through high jump, and I think it was such a special thing for the sport to have a jump off like that, but at the same time, I think that it's cool to add to the history in a different way.
"I think for me, even coming second, I would have been so proud of that, and to also get the golden outcome for me is also just as sweet."
Kerr and McEwen were the only two jumpers to clear 2.36m after which each missed at 2.38m three times. This triggered a jump-off following the full round of competition where the bar is continually lowered until an athlete managed to clear it.
Kerr and McEwen both missed at 2.38m, then at 2.36m.
At 2.34m McEwen missed and Kerr cleared it to win gold.
He said he knew it was his opportunity when the crowd was the highest.
"You're not going to get that for every jump, especially if we kept on going for hours and hours and hours. I wanted to make the most of that."
After clearing 2.34m and clinching the gold, Kerr took off running around the infield in celebration.
"I actually couldn't hear anything, I imagine the crowd went wild," he told 1News, adding that he kept an eye on the javelin competition to make sure they weren't still going.
Kerr is also the first New Zealand male to win a field event in the Olympic track and field programme after he picked up the gold.
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