Defending Olympic high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi faced an early exit from the high jump final at the Paris Olympics after struggling with health issues. Tamberi, who had been dealing with injury problems leading up to the Games, fell ill this week and shared on Instagram that he had to be hospitalized after vomiting blood twice. The athlete has been managing kidney stones, which likely contributed to his health complications.
During the competition, Tamberi visibly struggled, needing all three attempts to clear the initial height of 2.22 meters, a height he typically handles with ease. Unfortunately, his condition worsened as he failed to clear the 2.27 meters height after three attempts, leading to his early elimination from the event.
In contrast, Tamberi's friend and fellow high jump gold medalist from Tokyo, Mutaz Barshim, had a smooth start to the competition, effortlessly clearing both opening heights. Barshim's performance highlights the unpredictability of sports and the resilience required to compete at the highest level.
