Ancona, August 14, 2026 – Gianmarco Tamberi returns to the top of Europe. The Italian captain won in Birmingham his fourth European title in the high jump, clearing 2.32 meters at the end of a final that seemed anything but certain beforehand. At 34 years old, after two complicated seasons and a year in which he had not yet managed to go beyond 2.23, Gimbo once again brought out his talent when it really counted.
The perfect evening ended with an all-Italian celebration. Behind him, in fact, was the Ukrainian Oleh Doroshchuk, second with 2.30, while the bronze went to the other Italian Matteo Sioli, who managed to reach 2.27 before an abdominal injury knocked him out. A double victory that further enriched Tamberi’s triumph, who returned to jump at levels that seemed distant just a few weeks ago.
Complicated start, then the final joy
The race of the Tokyo 2021 Olympic champion had started in the worst way, with a mistake at 2.18. Then, however, something clicked. Tamberi cleared 2.23 on the first attempt, did the same at 2.27, and then faced 2.30 and 2.32 on the second attempt. A progression built without allowing any more mistakes, until the decision to stop after hitting the gold mark. Nothing else was needed: the fourth European title was his.
For Tamberi, this is not just any medal. It comes at the end of a period in which his body and results had taken away several certainties. The season, up to Birmingham, told the story of an athlete still searching for his best condition. In just one evening, however, Gimbo reminded everyone why he has been one of the symbols of Italian athletics for years: he manages to transform himself on big occasions.
The “gift” for daughter Camilla
And there was also a special reason to celebrate. Today, in fact, his daughter Camilla turns one year old. After the race, Tamberi reached the stands, where his wife Chiara Bontempi and the little one were waiting for him, to share with them a moment he will hardly forget. A European gold on his daughter’s first birthday: a coincidence that made an already historic night even more special.
“A special evening for Camilla – Tamberi said – she was the one who made me react after Paris. I won against very strong opponents like Oleh.” A message for “all the people who are going through a difficult time, believe in yourselves, those who keep investing eventually win.”
From Batocletti to Desalu, three medals for a dream evening
The Italian celebration, however, did not stop at the high jump. While Tamberi was winning his fourth European title, Fausto Desalu took the bronze in the 200 meters. The Italian, already a protagonist of the unforgettable gold in the 4×100 relay at the Tokyo Games, returned to the podium in a major individual event. Shortly before, another major success had come for Italy. Nadia Battocletti had dominated the 10,000 meters, adding another gold medal to the Italian delegation in Birmingham. But the highlight of the evening inevitably remains Tamberi. Four European titles, a jump of 2.32, and a celebration shared with his family on the most special day for his daughter. At 34, Gimbo once again found a way to surprise everyone. And perhaps, more than just a gold, this medal tells exactly this: Tamberi is back.
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