USA's Shelby McEwen Wins Silver Medal in Men's High Jump at 2024 Olympics

Team USA high jumper Shelby McEwen cleared 2.36 meters on Saturday to claim silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The achievement marks a personal-best height as well as the first Olympic medal of McEwen's career.

Hamish Kerr of New Zealand, who also cleared 2.36 meters, claimed gold after a jump-off at 2.34 meters with McEwen.

Mutaz Barshim of Qatar, who cleared 2.34 meters, took home the bronze.

The final standings for Saturday's medal event are below.

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Men's high jump final results

1. Hamish Kerr, New Zealand: 2.36m (2.34m jump-off)
2. Shelby McEwen, United States of America: 2.36m
3. Mutaz Essa Barshim, Qatar: 2.34m
4. Stefano Sottile, Italy: 2.34m
5. Ryoichi Akamatsu, Japan: 2.31m
6. Oleh Doroshchuk, Ukraine: 2.31m
7. Sanghyeok Woo, Republic of Korea: 2.27m
   
8. Tihomir Ivanov, Bulgaria: 2.27m
9. Jan Stefela, Czechia: 2.22m
10. Romaine Beckford, Jamaica: 2.22m
11. Gianmarco Tamberi, Italy: 2.22m
12. Brian Raats, Republic of South Africa: 2.17m

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After both McEwen and Kerr missed three jumps at 2.38 meters, the two men were left tied for first place.

The same situation took place during the competition in 2021 at the 2020 Tokyo Games. In that competition, Barshim and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi agreed to both take home the gold.

The brief conversation between McEwen and Kerr reached a different conclusion as the two decided to jump off for gold and silver.

McEwen then missed the 2.34-meter jump, while Kerr made it over to win outright.

The Team USA high jumper will still take home the silver, marking redemption from his appearance in the finals of the event in Tokyo. There McEwen cleared 2.27 meters to place 12th.

McEwen, a former NCAA champion for Alabama, previously finished fifth in the 2022 World Championships and seventh at 2023 worlds.

Kerr, the reigning indoor champion, went from almost facing elimination during qualifiers to claiming New Zealand's first championship in the event.

His win also marked the nation's ninth gold medal of the 2024 Olympics.

Tamberi, one of the two reigning gold medalists in the event, fell short of defending his title with a 2.22-meter best jump.