Hamish Kerr breaks national record and wins world indoor high jump gold medal

Hamish Kerr had the best day of his track and field career at the World Track and Field Indoor Championships in Glasgow, breaking the New Zealand record, equaling the Oceania record, and winning gold in the high jump by 2.36 meters from the world record. I spent .

The 27-year-old Christchurch-based athlete put on a near-perfect performance to win the biggest honor of her career to date, following Eliza McCartney and Tom Walsh's silver medal performances the previous day. , helping New Zealand win their third medal in Scotland. .

Kerr's gold also marks New Zealand's achievement at the 2016 World Indoor Championships in Portland, Oregon, when Walsh won gold and Valerie Adams (shooting) and Nick Willis (1500m) won bronze. The result was 3 medals, tying the all-time record. There is one session left in the 1500m final between George Beamish and Mya Lumsden.

Kerr, who exemplified composure throughout the event, made a seemingly effortless first clear at 2.15 meters and then maintained a perfect record at 2.20 meters. This height is the height at which a surprising four of the 12 leading competitors finished the competition.

The James Sandilands-coached athlete's perfect record remained at 2.24 meters, but at that height the defending champion, South Korea's Sang-Hyuk Woo, began to show fragility, forcing him to take his third attempt to survive in the competition. The challenge became necessary.

Kerr continued to put great pressure on the field, jumping 4-for-4 over a season-best 2.28 meters. Only Wu and American Shelby McEwen realized that achieving this height would guarantee them a medal, as both succeeded on their second attempt. for successful negotiations.

Maintaining the attitude of aiming for perfection, he achieved his first clear with a distance of 2.31 meters. The mark surpassed Wu and McEwen won two Xs before the US indoor champion took a gamble and raised the hurdles to a personal best height of 2.34 meters.

Returning to the jump, Kerr recorded his first failure of the night with 2.34m, but McEwen's high-stakes gamble did not pay off and the New Zealander took gold, becoming the third New Zealander after Walsh and Adams. As a person, he became a world indoor champion.

But the night wasn't over. Feeling confident in the zone, Kerr set his sights on a distance of 2.36 meters, two centimeters better than his own national record, and equaling the Oceanian record previously set by Australia's Tim Forsyth and Brandon Starc. I switched.

After narrowly missing his first attempt in a last-ditch effort, he arrogantly jumped over the bar and lay on the mat with his head in his hands, in utter disbelief at what he had accomplished. Decorate your perfect day with a height of 2.36 meters. McEwen won the silver medal on countback from bronze medalist Wu, with both men clearing personal bests of 2.28 meters.

Carr said with glee. We dreamed it and talked about it and the team believed it would come true, but for me it didn't happen until it happened, and now it feels so special.

“I knew I was in good shape, I was making jumps and I felt good right off the track, which was a really good sign. But [during the comp] I was just trying to calm my nerves and focus on myself, but it got even tougher towards the end. It was great to get it done.

“Perhaps the only thing I could add to my dreams (that day) was to jump 2.38 meters, which is my goal for this year.” [day)wasjumping238mwhichisthegoalthisyear”

On how today's performance prepares Kerr for the rest of the year, he added: He knew he had the ability, but it would be a different ball game in Paris. There are rounds, which adds pressure and anticipation. It's a great starting point today, but I'm not ready to compete in Paris. ”