World bronze medalist Ilya Ivanyuk of Russia claimed the victory in the men’s high jump at the 2021 Athletissima Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, on Wednesday (25).
Meanwhile, Italian Gianmarco Tamberi, the joint Olympic gold medalist at Tokyo 2020, was only fifth in his first appearance since his memorable moments in Japan earlier this month.
On Wednesday, Ivanyuk, who owns a personal and seasonal best mark of 2.37 meters, cleared 2.30m to secure the win in Lausanne, before missing his three attempts at a potential new personal best height of 2.38m.
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“The track was very bouncy,” said Ivanyuk on the World Athletics website. “It helped me to jump well.
“At 2.38m, I had a good first jump but on the second and third I had a problem when my socks slipped away.”
The 28-year-old finished ninth at the Olympics.
He is scheduled to compete in Zurich at Weltklasse 2021 next month and he revealed that he would attempt to improve his PB there.
“Maybe at my next competition, in Zurich, I can jump a personal best,” the Russian said. “My goal this season was the Olympic Games. I jumped really well. The other guys were just much better.”
Shelby McEwen of the USA finished in second place courtesy of his first-time 2.27m success, while Ukraine’s Andriy Protsenko and Mexica’s Edgar Rivera who also navigated over the same height, finished third and fourth.
Tamberi, meanwhile, was only able to clear 2.24m for fifth place.
He told the crowd: “I’m sorry. It’s difficult when you win a gold medal after five years of trying. I will be back and I promise to jump higher next time.”
He added later: “After the Games and winning gold, I am still getting used to my win and I couldn’t sleep for a few nights.
“I now have to get back into focus to jump higher again in Zurich. I am not going to set a limit and a height objective. For me, anything is possible.”
Rounding out the finishers were Switzerland’s Loic Gasch in sixth with 2.24m, with 2007 world champion Donald Thomas from The Bahamas getting seventh with 2.16m.
Maksim Nedasekau, the European Indoor Champion and Olympic bronze medalist, failed to clear a height.
After passing at the opening standard of 2.12m, the Belarusian who finished behind Mutaz Essa Barshim and Tamberi in Tokyo, registered three failures at 2.16m.
