As the world counts down to Milan-Cortina 2026, Kind Alert—our daily series celebrating moments of kindness and humanity at the Games—is revisiting unforgettable Olympic moments that prove sports matter beyond medals and records.
These are the stories where compassion, respect, and humanity rose to the podium alongside athletic excellence. In the lead-up to Milan, we’ll spotlight unforgettable acts of Olympic sportsmanship, proving that sometimes the most powerful victories are those that are shared.
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One of the most profound examples came at the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo.
How two Olympic high jumpers chose to share the glory
After a titanic struggle, the battle for gold in the men’s high jump was locked in a two-way tie.
Mutaz Barshim of Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy had each cleared 2.37 meters.
No one deserved to lose, but there had to be a winner, right? Normally, yes—but Tamberi had other ideas. Turning to an official, he asked a question that changed everything: “Can we have two golds?”
Slightly stunned, the answer was profoundly … yes.
The response made history, as Barshim and Tamberi instantly leapt into each other’s arms, overcome with emotion as the world watched a rare display of mutual respect in a sport defined by individual competition.
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In that instant, the gold wasn’t about standing alone on the podium; it represented the idea that sometimes the most meaningful achievements transcend solo glory.
As Kind Alert continues counting down toward Milan, we’ll keep the focus on Olympic moments like that one, reminding us that even on the world’s biggest stage, kindness, empathy and sportsmanship are the real gold.
👉 Follow Humankind for more stories of humanity from Milan-Cortina 2026—because the greatest wins aren’t always measured in medals.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi share gold at Tokyo Olympics
