Men's High Jump - FINAL

Standing 1.96m tall, Andrey Silnov was literally head and shoulders above his opponents tonight as he completed a faultless competition up to 2.36m to win the men’s High Jump Olympic title. And to think he hadn’t even been selected by his National Olympic Committee!

The surprise European champion in Gothenburg 2006, Silnov had only managed fourth on count-back at the Russian national championships and as such had not been included in the team of three which would participate in the Olympic Games in Beijing.

However, he went on to set a personal best and world season lead 2.38m less than a week later in London, a performance backed by a 2.33m win in Monaco, which prompted selectors to make a very late change in the entry lists.

After what felt like a magic night, Silnov’s victory was never in doubt. Opening at 2.20m and deciding to take all the heights he had first time clearances at 2.25m, 2.29m, 2.32m and 2.34m before a jaw dropping clearance at 2.36m, a height which he cleared with massive daylight.

“This is a great moment in my life,” said Silnov. “And I want to say ‘Olympics, I love you.’ I was cheered up by Yelena’s (Isinbayeva) gold. Tonight I tried my best. It felt easy, there was not much pressure.”

Jamaican born Germaine Mason of Great Britain and Yaroslav Rybakov of Russia were the only other two capable of mastering 2.34m on the night with silver going to the former World junior champion whose British citizenship was granted in 2006.

One who left with a bitter taste was defending Olympic champion Stefan Holm whose 2.32m first round clearance was only good enough for fourth, a repeat of his showing at the Sydney Olympic Games.

With nine still in contention when the bar was raised at 2.29m, the only three to fail were team-mates Tom Parsons, Martyn Bernard and Mason. Bernard and Mason elected to save the remaining attempts for the next height while Parsons failed his remaining two to become the fourth athlete to exit the competition.

Mason’s gamble paid off: his 2.32m clearance was a clear one after his foul at 2.29m had been oh-so-close. He bounced back on the mat turned towards the crowd and literally asked them to make more noise. The show was on.

Bernard was the next one out as his own gamble failed to pay dividends. More tactics were to be played, namely by the Czech pair of Tomas Janku and Jaroslav Baba as both failed first time at 2.32m. Janku knocked the bar with his heel; Baba knocked with his shoulder.

The defending bronze medallist, Baba took a try at 2.34m, a bad one, and then an even worse attempt at 2.36m ending in sixth, one better than European silver medallist Janku who failed twice at 2.34m.

Meanwhile, Holm and Silnov kept sharing the leading position which they secured right from the start both sailing over 2.32m with impressive ease. Mason was standing in third.

There would be two more sailing over 2.32m. First over was 20-year-old German champion Raul-Roland Spank whose third round clearance improved his personal best by 2 centimetres. He celebrated as if he had won it! In fact he ended fifth.

Former World Indoor champion Rybakov was facing a crossroad after two near misses at 2.32m but the experienced 27-year-old who won no fewer than six World Championships silver medals (indoors and outdoors) remained in the mix for a medal with a neat third attempt.

As the bar was raised at 2.34m, seven were still in contention: five had cleared, 2 had passed.

The medals would be decided in the following few minutes. First up was Mason: he cleared and set the crowd on fire again. Holm was next up: he failed badly as the pressure started to mount.  Rybakov’s turn: he cleared easy leapfrogging from fourth to second, a position he would hold for just a few minutes as his more fancied compatriot was next to jump. Silnov went over; it was simply a beautiful clearance.

When the bar was raised at 2.36m, Holm was facing a dead sentence having no choice but to sail over if he wanted to step on the Olympic podium for the second time around. He only had two chances. After a bad miss, his second attempt was so close the Swedish World Indoor champion will probably replay it in his head for years to come.

His body went over, his legs went over but the very tip of his heel didn’t. The bar stumbled and eventually fell. The Swedish camp in the stands was already celebrating only to be shell shocked seconds later.

Neither Mason nor Rybakov had what it took to clear 2.36m tonight and the title was officially Silnov’s. He took a bow towards the spectators area so as to thank the 91,000 spectators for their support before asking for the bar to be raised at a would be Olympic record 2.42m
 
He came very close with his first try but then fatigue took its toll and Silnov aborted the last two jumps.

While the medallists were celebrating, Holm sat on a chair, his head looking ahead at the bar which he was unable to master.

“It’s a fierce competition. I had to jump 2.36m to beat the others. I was a bit stressed out,” said Holm. “I felt really good all the time. I was really close, but it wasn’t meant to be tonight.”

Laura Arcoleo for the IAAF