Tokyo Olympics: Absolute scenes, as high jump rivals agree to share Games gold after battling to standstill

Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim has added a coveted Olympic gold to his list of accolades in the men's high jump in Tokyo, after agreeing to share the medal with Italian rival Gianmarco Tamberi.

Both men cleared 2.37m without missing, but could not manage 2.39m, a scenario that would normally force a jump-off for victory.

But Barshim asked officials: "Can we have two golds?"

In a dramatic climax to a dramatic competition, the athletes shook hands, hugged and wildly celebrated their joint gold medal - the first Olympic athletics success for Qatar.

Weightlifter Fares Ibrahim captured the nation's first-ever gold medal in the men's 96kg division on Saturday.

Maksim Nedasekau of Belarus also cleared the 2.37m mark, but he had more failed attempts, resulting in the bronze medal.

At London 2012, Barshim won a bronze, which was later upgraded to silver, and he picked up another silver in Rio de Janeiro four years later, before successive world titles in 2017 and 2019.

Tamberi would not have contested the Tokyo Olympics, if they had proceeded as planned 12 months ago, before the COVID-19 postponement. At that time, he was recovering from a leg injury and carried the cast with him into competition as inspiration.

His celebrations reached a new frenzy only moments later, when countryman Lamont Marcell Jacobs upset the men's 100m, running 9.80s for another unexpected gold medal.

Kiwi Hamish Kerr finished 10th in the high jumper, after clearing 2.30m.