"Severe Side Pain"... Woo Sang-hyeok's Rival Goes to ER Two Days Before Qualifiers [Paris Olympics]

"Possibility of Kidney Stones"

In the men's high jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Gianmarco Tamberi (Italy), who has been identified as a 'rival' to Woo Sang-hyeok, was suddenly taken to the emergency room. The preliminary round of the competition is just two days away.

On the 5th (Korean time), Tamberi posted a photo of himself lying on an emergency room bed receiving treatment on his personal social media account. Along with the photo, he explained the situation, saying, "I felt severe pain in my side," and "I underwent emergency treatment, CT scans, ultrasound examinations, and blood tests. It is likely a kidney stone."

Tamberi was scheduled to compete in the men's high jump event at the Olympics, which is set to take place at 5 p.m. on the 7th. Among the 31 participants in the preliminary round, the top 12 will advance to the final, which is scheduled for 2 a.m. on the 11th, four days after the preliminary round.

Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi [Image source= SNS capture]

Accordingly, Tamberi was supposed to board a flight to Paris, France, on the same day to meet the schedule, but it is expected to be delayed due to the sudden emergency room visit. Medical staff reportedly advised him to 'rest.'

Regarding this, Tamberi shared his feelings, saying, "I was supposed to leave for Paris today to start a journey toward a big dream," and "I was advised to postpone my flight until tomorrow. All I can do now is wait and pray."

It was also reported that Tamberi suffered from a high fever of 38.8 degrees Celsius. However, he expressed his determination to still participate in the competition, stating, "I have done everything for the Olympics. No matter my condition, I will dedicate my soul until the last jump."

Tamberi is considered one of the favorites to win the high jump at this Olympics, along with Korea's Woo Sang-hyeok, Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim, the United States' Jovan Harris, and New Zealand's Hamish Kerr.

He won a joint gold medal with Barshim at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held in 2021 with a jump of 2.37 meters. This Olympics marks his attempt to defend his title. Tamberi's best record this season is 2.37 meters, which is higher than Woo Sang-hyeok's 2.33 meters.