Mississippi native Shelby McEwen won a silver medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics for the United States in the men’s high jump on Saturday.
It came down to an intense, tiebreaking jump-off between McEwen and New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr at the 2.34 meters bar. McEwen went first, but his bottom nicked the bar on the jump. Kerr went second and had a clean jump over the bar to win gold.
The two of them both cleared the 2.36 meters bar but couldn’t reach 2.38 meters to set up the tiebreaker. The 2.36 meters by McEwen and Kerr were area records and also a personal best for McEwen.
Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar placed third at 2.34 meters.
McEwen, 28 from Abbeville, went to Northwest Mississippi Community College, where he played on the basketball team. He then went to Alabama and competed on its track and field team.
It’s McEwen’s first Olympic medal after he placed 12th in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
MORE: Here is every athlete with ties to Mississippi competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics
Sam Sklar is the Southern Miss beat reporter for the Hattiesburg American. Email him at ssklar@hattiesb.gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Mississippi’s Shelby McEwen wins silver medal for Team USA in Olympics
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Publish date : 2024-08-10 08:15:00
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