Derek Drouin captured gold in the men’s high jump Tuesday, adding to Canada’s medal count at the Rio Olympics.
The Canadian high jumper took gold after clearing 2.38 metres.
The 26-year-old reigning world champion from Corunna, Ont., won Canada’s 14th medal at the Games, the third for the track and field team.
“It feels pretty sweet. There have been some sacrifices but I’ve always prided myself on my mental toughness,” Drouin said after winning his medal. “My family were in the front row. Mom was in tears and Pop was so proud.”
After being declared the gold medal winner, Drouin took one shot at 2.40 metres in an attempt to beat the beat the Olympic record of 2.39 metres. He was unsuccessful.
“When you don’t do it for money, this is what happens. You become a champion and you put out good performances,” Jeff Huntoon, Drouin’s long-time coach said.
Huntoon said he did set out certain expectations for Drouin at the Games but he knew of his potential.
“Olympic champion? I don’t think that was on the radar, but you get two or three years into it and, all of a sudden, you just manage to win NCAA Championships,” Huntoon said. “He was a freshman at Penn State and he stared down a senior from Minnesota. That was the moment I knew we had something special.”
Mutaz Barshim of Qatar won silver by clearing 2.36 metres and Ukraine’s Bohdan Bondarenko claimed bronze after clearing 2.33 metres.
“My country only has four Olympic bronze medals in our history,” Barshim said of his historic silver. “It’s amazing to get silver. I was going for gold, of course, but I am happy and proud for my country.”
In 2012, Drouin captured his first Olympic medal by winning bronze at the London Games. He also captured a gold medal last year at the Pan Am Games in Toronto.
He’s is also the IAAF 2015 World Champion and is the first Canadian gold medallist in a field event since the 1932 Los Angeles Games when Duncan McNaughton also won in high jump.
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