The bonds behind the gold
Rare as they are, moments of shared gold create a bond between Olympians that can last a lifetime.
For Barshim and Tamberi at Tokyo 2020, it wasn’t just about height cleared, it was a spotlight on a friendship that they had groomed and grown over years of competition. “We looked at each other, and we didn’t even think. We just knew,” Tamberi said of their decision.
“The moment is, of course the sport we know, that’s the performance. But humanity, solidarity, unity… it’s just like peace coming all together. This is beyond sport. Sport is a tool for us to come together. This is a true message, so I’m really proud of that moment,” Barshim told Olympics.com.
“We looked at each other and burst into tears. We realised that our dream came true. And it came true together,” Tamberi added.
For Oleksiak and Manuel at Rio 2016, sharing gold in the 100m freestyle was a reward to two equally deserving athletes, two unexpected rivals bound forever. “It’s amazing to tie for gold. I never thought I’d win. She deserves it as much as me,” Oleksiak said.
And for the boys in the bobsleds, the tighter-than-usual podium was a reflection of the Olympic values. “I love the Games and I hope this race shows the world what the Olympic spirit is all about,” said Margis after he and Friedrich had happily shared the top of the podium with the Canadians. “It’s great to share the gold with these boys. I like them a lot”.
