JuVaughn Harrison Soars to Silver in Thrilling High Jump Showdown at Worlds

It was an edge-of-your-seat high jump finale between ‘Mr. Jumps’ and ‘The Showman.’

JuVaughn Harrison and Italian showman Gianmarco Tamberi both soared to world leading heights of 2.36-meters (7 feet 9 inches), while entertaining, acting and playing to the crowd, before and after every jump. The three-time defending world champion from Qatar, Mutaz Essa Barshim, was also a protagonist in a competition that unfolded dramatically at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Tuesday night.

Ultimately, it was Tamberi winning gold as he cleared the 2.36-meter mark on his first attempt, while Harrison needed two attempts to match. Neither could muster 2.38 meters in a nearly two-hour competition, on a hot and humid evening in the Hungarian capitol. 

For the multi-talented Harrison – who thrives upon leaping far in the long jump as much as he does ascending skyward in the high jump – silver was his first major championship medal. 

“It was definitely a lot of fun – I love great competition and going up against great competitors pushes you to compete better and that’s what happened tonight,” Harrison told Team USA, while wearing his silver medal.

Asked how he felt when Tamberi cleared 2.36 meters and how he matched the pivotal height under pressure, Harrison said: “It felt good – he cleared it, I just know that I had to clear it. He took one, I took two, that’s just how the cookie crumbled.”

The 24-year-old Harrison became the first American man to medal in the high jump at a world championship, since Jesse Williams won gold at Daegu 2011.

“It means a lot – last year I came ninth and wasn’t able to medal. To be able to come here and battle for first, and ultimately get second, isn’t a bad thing at all,” Harrison said, alluding to his performance at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Harrison took command of the event early, successfully clearing his first three heights of 2.25 meters, 2.29 meters, and 2.33 meters, before his first miss at 2.36 meters. Both Tamberi and Barshim – close friends who agreed to share victory at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 after finishing with the same height, in what became the heartfelt story at those Games – both suffered first attempt misses at 2.25 meters. As a result, Harrison found himself in pole position and ahead of 11 challengers until the Italian one-upped him at 2.36 meters.

Despite just missing gold on countback, Harrison said he enjoyed the moment under the lights alongside his Italian competitor.

“I’m always having fun – I only have nerves until my first jump,” he said. “After that it’s all fun – I feel like if you aren’t having fun than you shouldn’t be out there.

Barshim witnessed his world championship winning streak end as he failed to equal Harrison or Tamberi in his three efforts at 2.36 meters. His settled for bronze with a best height of 2.33 meters.

The 31-year-old Tamberi, competed wearing one green sock and one red, and his face shaved on only one side. Italian flag-waving fans chanted “Gimbo, Gimbo, Gimbo” as he passionately celebrated the victory with them.

The fun-loving, Italian star commended Harrison’s performance, following their friendly battle in Budapest.

“JuVaughn [Harrison] is a super athlete, such a great talent as he is improving every year, and it will be tough to beat him at the Olympic Games, but I enjoyed competing against him tonight,” Tamberi told media, after his festive celebration with fans along the track. “He’s a great athlete and a great person too.”

With a big laugh, Tamberi insisted that he still puts on a little bit better show for the crowd than his American counterpart.

“Not like me, but almost like me – he still has to improve a bit,” Tamberi joked.

Harrison noted that he once again plans to take on the high jump-long jump double, next summer at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, as he did at Tokyo 2020. 

The Alabama athlete finished fifth in the long jump and seventh in the high jump in Japan. Standing six-foot-four and showcasing supreme athletic talent, Harrison became the first athlete to compete in both the long and high jump at the Olympics, since Jim Thorpe in 1912.

“I’ll be trying to compete in both the long jump and high jump at the Olympics in Paris next year,” Harrison said, confidently.

Harrison, who trains in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, compared the levels of excitement that he gets from the two different jumping endeavors. 

“It’s about equal – it’s two different excitements,” he said. “I feel two different things, but I’ll say the excitement is equal with both.

“You can’t get the two mixed up – when it comes to the high jump and long jump, one is out and one is up,” he says. “You can’t go too high in the long jump, you have to focus on getting out.  The biggest thing is to remember not to go up and go out, and vice-versa.” 

Long jump qualifying begins on Wednesday morning in Budapest, but Harrison will forego the second event, at least this time around. He finished third at this year's USATF Outdoor Championships, jumping 8.08 meters (26-6 ¼).

“Ultimately, I didn’t have the standard or enough points this year,” Harrison explained.  “While I did get third, there is a way you have to do it. I just need to fix a few things and get the standard next year.

Harrison exudes supreme confidence discussing doing the Olympic double, once again next summer in Paris.

“I plan is to win, the goal is always to bring home a gold medal. Next year at Paris, I plan on winning both,” he said.