South Korea’s Woo Sanghyeok etched his name into the annals of high jump history, securing his second World Athletics Indoor Championships title at the Nanjing 25 event.
Three years after his triumph in Belgrade, Woo’s victory solidifies his position among the elite, joining the legendary Javier Sotomayor and Stefan Holm as one of only three men to win multiple world indoor high jump titles.
The 28-year-old Korean soared to victory, clearing a decisive 2.31m on his first attempt, a height unmatched by any other competitor.
This feat crowned him champion, leaving defending champion and Olympic gold medalist Hamish Kerr of New Zealand to settle for silver with a clearance of 2.28m.
Jamaica’s Raymond Richards, a relative newcomer to the senior international stage, surprised the field by securing bronze, also clearing 2.28m but edging out Kerr on countback.
The competition saw a swift elimination of several contenders at the 2.20m mark, including European indoor silver medalist Jan Stefela and Jamaica’s 2023 NCAA champion Romaine Beckford. Naoto Hasegawa (Japan) and Jonathan Kapitolnik (Israel) followed, exiting at 2.24m. This narrowed the field to six, who battled for the podium positions at 2.28m.
World leader and European indoor champion Oleh Doroshchuk (Ukraine) and Richards had initially held a slight advantage, clearing 2.24m on their first attempts. However, the pressure mounted as Woo, Kerr, and USA’s Elijah Kosibah joined them at 2.28m. Italy’s Manuel Lando was the next to fall, leaving five athletes to contest the medals.
Woo and Kerr displayed nerves of steel, clearing 2.28m on their first attempts, while Richards and Kosibah required two tries. Doroshchuk, under pressure, managed to clear the height on his third attempt, a costly delay that ultimately relegated him to a position outside the medals.
The pivotal moment came at 2.31m. With a near-perfect jump, Woo cleared the bar on his first attempt, equaling his season’s best and seizing the lead. Kerr, despite a valiant effort, could not match the height, surrendering his title to the resurgent Korean.
“It was because of my experience at the Paris Olympics last year that I was able to win this gold medal,” Woo stated after his victory. “After the Olympics, it was a bit tough. But looking back, I think it was just a temporary phase. My coach and I decided that we’d prepare hard for the World Indoor Championships, so we worked together with that mindset. And now that I’ve been able to do well again, it’s truly a wonderful night for me.”
Kerr’s silver medal completes his collection of world indoor medals, adding to his gold from Glasgow and bronze from Belgrade. Richards, the surprise package of the final, celebrated his first major senior international championship with a well-deserved bronze.
Men’s High Jump Medallists:
🥇 Woo Sanghyeok (KOR) – 2.31m (=SB)
🥈 Hamish Kerr (NZL) – 2.28m
🥉 Raymond Richards (JAM) – 2.28m
