Men High Jump Athletics XXVI Olympic Games Atlanta, United States 1996 - 28th July - Gold Medal: Charles Austin, United States
Final
Height
SO
215
220
225
229
232
235
237
239
241
246
1. Charles Austin
USA
2.39m OR
9.
O
-
O
-
O
O
XX
O
-
XXX
2. Artur Partyka
POL
2.35m
1.
-
O
-
O
O
XO
X-
XX
3. Steve Smith
GBR
2.35m
13.
-
-
XO
-
O
XO
XX-
X
4. Dragutin Topic
YUG
2.32m
4.
O
O
O
O
XX
X
5. Steinar Hoen
NOR
2.32m
3.
-
O
O
XO
O
XX-
X
6. Lambros Papakostas
GRE
2.32m
7.
-
O
O
O
XO
XX-
X
7. Tim Forsyth
AUS
2.32m
2.
-
O
O
O
XXO
XX-
X
8. Jin-Taek Lee
KOR
2.29m
10.
-
XO
O
O
XXX
9. Wolfgang Kreissig
GER
2.29m
-
XO
XO
O
XXX
10.Przemyslaw Radkiewicz
POL
2.29m
-
XO
XO
XO
XXX
11.Jaroslaw Kotewicz
POL
2.25m
O
-
O
XXX
11.Javier Sotomayor
CUB
2.25m
-
-
O
-
XXX
13.Troy Kemp
BAH
2.25m
-
-
XO
-
X-
XX
14.Tomas Janku
CZE
2.25m
XO
XO
XO
XXX
Competitors: 37; Countries: 27
A damaged ankle effectively ruined the chances of defending champion
Sotomayor, and he finished =11th in the final, clearing only 2.25.
Seven jumpers had cleared 2.26 in the qualifying without making the
final, as 14 others went over 2.28. Ten of those made 2.29 in the final,
with only three eliminated at 2.32.
The next height of 2.35 proved to be the litmus test of quality, as
1991 World Champion Charles Austin and Poland’s competitive Artur
Partyka were the only ones to clear first time. Just Steve Smith of the
remaining five cleared 2.35. Partyka then cleared 2.37 on his second
jump with an effort that looked a good 5cm above the bar. When Austin
failed for a second time it seemed certain that the Pole would win. Both
Smith and Austin passed to 2.39 for their final attempts, and Austin
sailed over without touching the bar to win the gold. Partyka won his
second Olympic medal of the 1990s. At seven Olympic, World and
European Championships between 1992 and 1998, he never failed to
win a medal.