Presumably headed for a jump-off with Qatari high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim, Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi was told by a rules official that the pair could share the gold medal.
When Barshim said he was good with that, Tamberi let loose with a primal scream and passionately embraced his rival of just a few seconds earlier.
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Tamberi ran around the stadium in Tokyo, at one point picking up the shell of an old cast inscribed "Road to Tokyo 2020 2021" and at another sobbing and rolling around on the track.
Barshim slowly walked toward his traveling party and broke down in tears himself, having won bronze at London 2012 and Rio 2016 and now finally winning gold.
Tamberi, 29, missed out on the 2016 games after finishing tied for 21st in 2012. He would've missed out on Tokyo had the Olympics been held last summer, and both men's stories felt so deserving of gold.
Belarusian jumper Maksim Nedasekau won bronze, the trio all clearing 2.37m.
"Jumping" Juvaughn Harrison of Team USA finished tied for sixth after failing at 2.37 and 2.39, while fellow American Shelby McEwen cleared his first two heights but was the third jumper eliminated when he hit the bar thrice at 2.30.