The World Athletics Championships 2023 will be held in Budapest from August 19 to 27.
Here are the top three contenders for the gold medal in men’s high jump in the Hungarian capital:
Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar)
Mutaz Essa Barshim is a 32-year-old high jumper from Doha, Qatar. He is a three-time defending world champion, two-time Asian Games gold medallist, the reigning Olympic champion and the second highest jumper of all-time with a personal best of 2.43m.
He shared the gold medal with Italian Gianmarco Tamberi at the Tokyo Olympics after both cleared a height of 2.37m in their first attempt and subsequently failed to clear 2.39 m. Barshim asked one of the officials, “Can we have two golds?” and when he heard that it was possible, he hugged the Italian saying, “History, my friend.”
This season, he won gold medal at the West Asian Athletics Association Championships in Doha and also finished first in the Diamond League meeting in Silesia last month with a world-leading height of 2.36m. He grabbed the second and third spots, respectively at the Diamond League meetings in Doha and London.
Personal Best: 2.43m
Season’s Best: 2:36m
JuVaughn Harrison (USA)
FILE PHOTO: USA’s JuVaughn Harrison. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
JuVaughn Harrison is a 24-year-old American high jumper. He made history at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships by becoming the first man ever to cross 8.40m in the long jump and clear 2.30m in the high jump.
He won bronze medal at the 2018 World U-20 Championships in Tampere.
At the 2021 US Olympic Trials, he finished first in both long jump and high jump but finished fifth and seventh, respectively at the Summer Games in Tokyo.
He made his World Championships debut in Eugene last year, finishing ninth with a best effort of 2.27m. This season, he won all three Diamond League meetings he took part in - Doha, Florence and London - and also clinched gold at the USA Championships.
Personal Best: 2:36m
Season’s Best: 2.35m
Gianmarco Tamberi (Italy)
FILE PHOTO: Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Gianmarco Tamberi, the 31-year-old jumper from Italy, is a two-time European Championships gold medallist, two-time defending Diamond League and reigning Olympic champion.
Coached by his father Marco, Tamberi set a new national record of 2.39m in Monaco in 2016. However, he could not compete at the Rio Olympics due to an injury. Five years later, in Tokyo, he shared the gold medal with Barshim.
This season, he finished first in the European Athletics Team Championships in Silesia, second at the Diamond League meeting at the same venue with a season best of 2.34m and sixth in Stockholm.
Personal Best: 2.39m
Season’s Best: 2.34m
Here’s an athlete who could prove to be the dark horse:-
Sanghyeok Woo (South Korea)
FILE PHOTO: Sanghyeok Woo of Korea. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Sanghyeok Woo is a 27-year-old jumper from South Korea. He is a two-time Asian Championships gold medallist, and the reigning Asian Games and World Championships silver medallist.
This season, he has clinched gold medals at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Yokohama, 51st Flag of KBS National Athletics Meeting in Yecheon, Korean Championships in Jeongseon and Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok while also finishing second at Diamond League meetings in Doha and Florence.
Personal Best: 2.36m
Season’s Best: 2.33m
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