Leap of Triumph: Hamish Kerr Claims High Jump Gold

Hamish Kerr triumphed in the high jump at the Tokyo championship, winning New Zealand's second gold. His 2.36m leap bested Woo Sang-hyeok of South Korea, who claimed silver. The competition saw performances from Jan Stefela and Oleh Doroshchuk as high-profile contenders faced challenges and withdrawals, ensuring a new champion emerged.

In a thrilling high jump final at the Tokyo championship, New Zealand's Hamish Kerr secured a sensational victory with a leap of 2.36 meters, bringing home a second gold medal for his country. The 29-year-old athlete redeemed himself by matching his personal best on the first attempt.

South Korea's Woo Sang-hyeok, who aspired to secure his country's inaugural outdoor world championship gold, finished with silver, clearing 2.34 meters at his third attempt but unable to surpass Kerr's mark. The competition's intensity was palpable with Czech Jan Stefela winning bronze on a countback, and Oleh Doroshchuk of Ukraine similarly clearing 2.31 meters but stumbling at higher attempts.

With the absence of seasoned champions like Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi, who faced a foot injury and failure to qualify, respectively, the championship offered an open field. American Shelby McEwen also missed advancing to the final, underscoring the emergence of a new wave of high jump talent.

(With inputs from agencies.)