At 34, Gianmarco Tamberi remains high jump royalty, carrying the swagger of an Olympic and world champion into Birmingham. Two years ago in Rome, he put on a masterclass, soaring over 2.37m to set a championship record and defend his European title. But injury has since disrupted his rhythm, and the mercurial Italian arrives on the runway with minimal recent competition to rely on. He still possesses that rare big-stage temperament to conjure magic when medals are on the line, but this time, the throne looks far more vulnerable.
A hungry young brigade is lining up to ensure a changing of the guard. Leading the charge is Ukraine’s 25-year-old Oleh Doroshchuk, who has quietly turned himself into Europe’s premiere technician. The reigning world and European indoor champion tops the continental leaderboards with a world-class 2.33m clearance this season.
Pushing him closely is Czechia’s Jan Štefela, who proved his breakout 2025 campaign was no fluke. After bagging European indoor silver, world bronze, and a 2.33m personal best last year, he has backed it up by floating over 2.32m this season. Then there is Great Britain’s Kimani Jack, the breakout star of 2026 and the home crowd’s ultimate wildcard. Jack has raised his personal best by an astounding ten centimetres to 2.31m this year, setting up a thrilling home-turf moment at Alexander Stadium. Even Poland’s 24-year-old Mateusz Kołodziejski, now clearing 2.30m, adds depth to a field that refuses to defer to the old champion.
Will Tamberi’s legendary competitive theatre be enough to hold off the consistent Doroshchuk, the explosive elasticity of Štefela, or the electric home momentum behind Jack? Experience Vs pure fearlessness above the bar tonight, and it promises to be a gravity-less affair.