As the countdown to the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 continues, New Zealand high jump star Hamish Kerr has become a focal point. The record-breaking athlete will compete alongside the world’s top contenders at the “Nanjing's Cube”, battling for victory in the men’s high jump final on the evening of March 21.

Image Source: World Athletics

Hamish Kerr is the dominant force in New Zealand men’s high jump. Since making his debut at the New Zealand Athletics Championships in 2015 where he claimed his first title with a jump of 2.13 meters, he has been on a championship-winning streak. From 2017 to 2023, Kerr won the national title seven consecutive times, showcasing his dominance. At the Olympic Games Paris 2024, both Hamish Kerr and Shelby McEwen cleared 2.36 meters, forcing a tie breaker. In the end, Hamish Kerr was the first to clear 2.34 meters in the jump-off, securing the Olympic gold medal.

For Hamish Kerr, the World Athletics Indoor Championships have always been synonymous with “breaking records”. At the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, he set a new New Zealand national record with a jump of 2.31 meters. It was not only his first indoor competition but also New Zealand’s first-ever high jump medal at a major global championship. In March 2024, at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Kerr claimed victory with a 2.36-meter jump, once again breaking the New Zealand national record and equaling the Oceania record. This achievement made him only the third New Zealander to win a world indoor title.

As the defending champion, Hamish Kerr has maintained excellent form in recent years. In Nanjing, he is expected to once again challenge his personal best in indoor competition.

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