Gianmarco Tamberi: It was magical to share the Olympics gold medal with a good friend

Gianmarco Tamberi is now a house-hold name after the Tokyo Olympics 2021. The Italian high jumper and his friend and competitor Mutaz Barshim of Qatar won the hearts of fans when they displayed excellent sportsmanship spirit in the final of the high jump at the Tokyo Olympics 2021.

After being tied in the high jump final, instead of going for a jump-off, both the players decided to share the gold medal – a moment that went down in the annals of sport.

After the exploits in the Japanese capital, Gianmarco Tamberi will be back in action at the Lausanne Diamond League 2021.

The Tokyo Olympics gold medal changed a lot of things for Gianmarco Tamberi. The Italian high jumper is now getting used to being recognized globally. At a press conference on the eve of the Lausanne Diamond League, Gianmarco Tamberi said:

“A lot (has changed). It is not within me, but around me. Every person stops you to take a picture. It’s really nice. Until two months ago, I'd say to my girlfriend that I would go and get something to eat and it took five minutes. Now it can take two hours!”

How Gianmarco Tamberi shared the Olympics gold medal

A conversation with Gianmarco Tamberi would be incomplete without a mention of the Tokyo Olympics 2021. The Italian high jumper said he was speechless after the final and sharing the gold medal with his friend was ‘magical’. He explained:

“It was magical to share (the medal) with a good friend. It elevated the moment to another level. We'll remember this forever. I went to Barshim and hugged him. I said, I am proud of you, and it was great to share this competition. Whilst I was hugging him, an official came up to us and asked if we knew the rules. The judge started to explain the rules and immediately Barshim stopped him from talking and asked if we could have two golds. And, the rest is history.”

Gianmarco Tamberi is coached by his father and the high jumper said it was easier as both of them have the same goal in mind.

“He’s been coaching me since 2009. There are pros and cons. There is more trust because he is my father. We used to fight a lot when I was younger, but when you have the same goal and want to reach the same moment, that pushes you through everything.”

Gianmarco Tamberi dislikes playing in empty stadiums. So with around 12,000 fans expected for the Lausanne Diamond League 2021, he is sure to feel at home.

There is one thing that Gianmarco Tamberi did out of the ordinary at the Tokyo Olympics and that gave him a gold medal.

“I never sleep the night before a competition. I never. But, the one time I did was in Tokyo. I woke up and was like, is this normal?!”