Hamish Kerr: Olympic high jump gold medallist on his career, success, and goals for the future

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

If at first you don’t succeed, try again.

A common sentiment, but particularly relevant for athletes, and one Hamish Kerr is familiar with.

The Olympic high jump gold medallist told Mike Hosking that his first attempt at the Fosbury flop left him with a bloody nose, as he hit his nose against his knee on the way over.

Kerr’s come a long way since that first jump, and now his goal is to leap 2.4 meters – four centimetres higher than his medal winning 2.36 meters.

“For me it’s just about getting stronger and faster and that’s something we really worked on this year,” he told Hosking.

“Probably the most we’ve done of that in my whole career, and that’s, that’s why I’ve done so well.”

The world record is 2.45 meters, and if he continues the way he does, Kerr thinks the goal is within reach.

“If I have another four years of that, then there’s no reason why I wouldn’t be getting better.”

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