One of the most memorable moments of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics came in the men’s high jump, when Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi agreed to share the gold medal, having turned in the same performance. It was a moment replayed around the world as evidence of the best the Olympics has to offer, two athletes putting in commanding performances on the sport’s biggest stage, but sharing the glory.
However, that moment was just one of many between the two athletes that illustrated their shared bond. Ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics Tamberi suffered a torn ligament in his left ankle, an injury that ruled him out of the Rio games. As struggled during his comeback attempt the following year, it was Barshim who helped him in that effort. After the Tokyo Olympics Tamberi recalled a moment in Paris in 2017 when the Italian athlete failed to complete a jump at a meet and was inconsolable. “‘Don’t try to rush it,’ he kept telling me. ‘You had a big injury, you’re already back in the Diamond League,” recalled Tamberi. “No one expected that. But now you need to take your time, don’t expect too much too early from yourself. Just see what happens.’”
A year later their roles were reversed. It was Barshim who suffered a torn ligament of his own, and Tamberi was put in the role of consoler for his rival, and friend.
So when the moment came in Tokyo for them to potentially share the gold, it was actually something the two had dreamed of during those darker times.
“Neither of us wanted to take this immense joy away from the other, we didn’t even need to discuss it, an eye contact and we both knew we wanted to share this gold,” said Tamberi during the Tokyo Olympics. “In fact, many times before we’ve joked ‘imagine if we could share an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo?’”
That friendship was on display again Wednesday in London.
Barshim came up limping on his first attempt at 2.27 meters during the qualification round, apparently suffering a left calf injury. It should come as no surprise that as trainers were tending to him, Tamberi came over to help his rival and friend:
Barshim then completed an attempt at 2.27 meters, clinching a spot in Saturday’s final round
Along with Tamberi.
The Olympics’ social media page shared the video from their gold medal moment at the Tokyo Games, along with an image of Tamberi helping his friend Wednesday in Paris:
Perhaps they can share gold yet again.
