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This year Olympics high jump for men had two gold medalists. This is how it happened.
Mutaz Essa Barshim from Qatar was one finalist. His technique was sleek, elegant, and smooth. He wore his signature sunglasses to help him get in the zone. Barshim successfully jumped over 2.35 meters, 2.37 meters, and couldn’t get over 2.39 meters in three attempts.
The second finalist was Gianmarco Tamberi from Italy, a cute, hipstery dude with a bun, the type you would expect to see in your juice bar. Coincidentally, just like Barshim, Tamberi also successfully jumped over 2.35 meters, 2.37 meters, and couldn’t get over 2.39 meters in three attempts.
It was an exhausting two-hour competition, at the end of which the two were tied for gold. They proceeded to talk to the referee about the possible next steps- typically the additional jump-offs until one person fails in the other wins.
And then something miraculous happened.
As the referee was explaining what are the options, Barshim asked:
“Can we both get gold?”
The referee stood silent for a moment to process this unusual question and said that, yes, that would be possible if the other party…
