Hamish Kerr bounced back from the disappointment of missing out on a final place at the World Athletics Championships in
Budapest to finish second in the men’s high jump at the Zurich Diamond League this morning (Friday) with a 2.33m
clearance, the second best of his career.
On a chilly night in Switzerland, the 27-year-old Kiwi rediscovered his groove to come within 1cm of his national record
set in February and push Olympic champion Mutaz Barshim to his limits as the Qatari claimed victory with a 2.35m
clearance.
Kerr, the Commonwealth champion, has experienced a mixed outdoor season but all the stars aligned tonight as he produced
the best outdoor clearances of his life.
Kerr opened his account with successful first time attempts at 2.15m and 2.20m before encountering a minor stutter at
2.24m, requiring two attempts to advance to the next height. Yet a huge second time clearance at 2.28m – suggested he
has much more to come – with only the New Zealander, Barshim, world champion Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and world indoor
champion Sanghyeok Woo of Korea negotiating this height.
Despite brushing the bar he cleared 2.31m – the joint second best height of his career – with his second attempt before
moving the bar to 2.33m, which he managed to successfully wriggle over at the first time of asking.
On a night of world-class high jumping, Barshim cleared 2.35m with his first attempt. However, Kerr missed out twice on
what would have been a national record 2.35m before passing his final attempt and gambling at 2.37m. Unfortunately, his
one attempt at this height was unsuccessful and he bowed out of the competition in second.
Woo rounded out the podium with a best of 2.31m with Tamberi (2.28m) in fourth.
Kerr said: “I have mixed feelings right now. I did not make the final in Budapest, but I have shown the world how strong
I am. I wished I had done that in Budapest. When I cleared 2.31m I did not even know that I was that high, I was like in
a tunnel. When I am in the competition I just jump and do not look too much at the height.
“I was the saddest person after qualification (at the World Championships), and I left Budapest straight away to go on
holiday with my girlfriend in Croatia. I wanted to go home after the holiday and end the season, but I thought, ‘let’s
just enjoy the (rest of the) season’, so I decided to jump here. I am glad about that.”
Zoe Hobbs placed seventh in a world-class women’s 100m field, recording a time of 11.14 (-0.2). The 25-year-old Kiwi,
who finished just 0.01 shy of the qualifiers for the 100m final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, made
her trademark quick start was prominent throughout the first half of the race.
World champion Sha’Carri Richardson seized control in the latter stages as the American pulled clear to gap the field
and take victory in 10.88. Jamaican Natasha Morrison grabbed second in a photo-finish from her fellow Jamaican Elaine
Thompson-Herah, the Olympic champion, as both were credited with a time of 11.00.
The other Kiwi in action tonight inside the Letzigrund Stadium, Sam Tanner placed 11th in the men’s 1500m, clocking
3:32.16. In a rapid race, Tanner held a mid-pack position for much of the race and produced another consistent
performance – within less then a second of his lifetime best of 3:31.24. Victory went to American Yared Nuguse who edged
world champion Josh Kerr of Great Britain by 0.02 to win in 3:30.49.
Results