Not only do these two Olympic champions share gold, but doctors too!
It was one of the most emotional moments at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021 when Mutaz Essa Bershim (30) and Gianmarco Tambri (29) decided against a jump-off and double gold in the high jump final. This has never happened before in the Olympics!
And it’s a bit down to a doctor in Munich that it could turn out like this. The two high jumpers have been best friends since the 2010 Junior World Championships in Canada, and went through hell together after suffering an ankle fracture. Barshim and Tambri were also facing the end of their careers. Eventually the two met Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wolfhardt (79) in practice – they are now Olympic champions!
BILD met Barshim at the former Bayern team doctor’s practice in Munich and spoke to Qatari about his Special Olympics history.
In the summer of 2018, the double world champion broke his leg and tore all ligaments while attempting to set a world record. Barshim: “When I came to Dr. Müller-Wolffhardt, I didn’t know if I could ever jump again. not like it. It is virtually impossible to jump back on top of the world after this injury. But the doctor helped me. Today it seems like nothing has happened. But it was a very difficult and long road to get there.”
Mutaz Essa Barshim (R.) and Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wolfeherty Photo: Private
Müller-Wolfehardt: “Mutaz is again 100 percent confident in the function of his legs and his ligaments. That mental strength is what makes him so good.”
Tambari had a similar experience two years ago. The Italian broke his spring foot at the 2016 European Championships, so he missed the Olympics in Rio.
Bershim: “Gianmarco took the injury well in front of me, but he had a lot of complications and couldn’t reach his 100 percent. I told him again: you Dr. Muller Kalyan. He knows what he’s doing “
Tambri trusts her friend and finds her way back to top form thanks to “Mul”.
The Golden End at the High Jump Finals in Tokyo on August 1, 2021. Tambri and Barshim had the same number of attempts after mastering 2.37m, then failing three times at 2.39m – a tie! As stipulated in the rules, the referee asked the two of them whether they wanted to jump or share first place.
The two immediately decided on double gold! Bershim: “We were already partying when the referee came in. This moment will always be there, it was crazy. I think we will talk about it again and again at the Olympics in the future.”
