Hamish Kerr celebrates his first place in the Men's High Jump Final at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Hamish Kerr has surpassed his own national high jump record, with victory at an athletics meet in Slovakia.
The 26-year-old Christchurch-based athlete cleared 2.34 metres at the Banska Bystrica indoor meet, 3cm better than his pervious mark.
He cleared his winning height at the first attempt to beat Andriy Protsenko, the World Championship bronze medallist from Ukraine.
The clearance also surpasses the automatic entry standard for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
Kerr had a perfect record from his opening height of 2.10m through to 2.30m - which matched his season's best performance.
He missed out on his opening attempt at 2.32m - which would have bettered his previous national record of 2.31m - but he opted to pass his two remaining attempts at this height after Protsenko cleared at 2.32m.
Kerr however then cleared 2.34m and not only set a New Zealand record - which previously stood at 2.31m - but also snared the 26-year-old Oceania Indoor record previously held by Australian Tim Forsyth of 2.33m.
Kerr then attempted 2.36m but failed to clear the heigh.
"I'm stoked. We've put so much work in and made some big calls over the last 12-18 months about how I train and the approach that I take with my team, so this affirms we are on the right track," said Kerr.
"I've always said I want to be the best in the world, and this is a decent step in the right direction. I'm just so stoked."
Hamish Kerr will compete at the national track and field champs in Wellington in March. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"My first attempt at 2.32m I got a little hasty on the bar and then when Protsenko cleared 2.32m, I decided to pass because the reason I'd come to Europe was not to win comps but to jump high. The fact he put me under pressure was really good, but I had full confidence I was going to do it," he said.
"The 2.34m was a little bit touch and go, I did rattle the bar but as I dropped down on the mat it stayed up. It's awesome."
Kerr has been in good form this season after claiming victory in his two domestic meets in Hawera and Whanganui before heading out to Europe for the indoor season, where he clinched victories in Hustopece (2.30m) and Torun (2.27m).
He concludes his European indoor campaign at the Birmingham World Indoor Tour Final on Sunday week before he returns to New Zealand to compete at the national track and field champs Wellington early next March.
-RNZ
