COLCHESTER-BORN Jonathan Broom-Edwards admitted his belief knows no boundaries after winning back-to-back World Para Athletics Championship titles in the T64 high jump – and why not given how truly impressive his gold in Paris was.
Absent from competition all season due to a hamstring injury, opening your campaign at a World Championships isn’t necessarily the best position to find yourself in but not for Broom-Edwards, who was guaranteed at least fourth before he even attempted a height.
The 35-year-old, who won his first world title in 2019 before following it up with Paralympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, would go on to land a statement series when he did enter at 1.91m clearing first time at every other height up to 2.05m.
Broom-Edwards already seemingly less than straightforward task given his injury and timing of his return was made harder by the fact that Polish rival Maciej Lepiato matched him all the way, choosing to attempt more heights but going through perfectly all the same.
As the bar was pushed to 2.07m with both still perfect, a back and forth ensued to see who would clear with Broom-Edwards in arguably the favourable position of having to follow Lepiato.
As it was, neither could go clear.
A jump-off for gold was presented to both, which they rejected, and with his season literally only just beginning and the next Paralympics back in Paris in just over a year, Broom-Edwards is adamant he will only push on from his second world title performance.
He said: “I believed in myself and I believe I had more out there actually. It’s a shame that I knocked off that first 2.07m attempt because I’d had a clear scorecard up to that point.
“It’s probably one of my most consistent and best running competitions I’ve had in my career so I know I’m in a really good place.
"It was a season opener, I’m almost brushing the cobwebs off. I know I’ve got more in me so I can look to build on the rest of my season and put some better heights in.
“The fact that that was a season opener for me because I’ve had a bit of a hard run in – I tore my hamstring about eight weeks ago – I’m really proud.
"It was really, really hot out there so it feels great to be on top of the podium again.
“I’ve done what I came to do – it wasn’t quite the personal best I was aiming for but I’m happy with what I’ve done – just not fully content.
"There’s more in the tank and that’s what I’m going to be aiming for the rest of the season.”
Broom-Edwards is no stranger to the global stagem having won world silver for the first time all the way back in 2013 and is the perfect example of how funding from The National Lottery can elevate an athlete into being the very best in the world.
National Lottery players have transformed athletics in the UK, with more than £214million invested since Lottery funding began.
They support elite athletes to win medals on the world stage and have invested in clubs, facilities and programmes across the country to enable more people to take part in the sport.
Broom-Edwards added: “The National Lottery funding gives you a sense of peace of mind. You don’t have to overdo it in terms of work to live your life, to buy your food, to pay your rent, pay your mortgage – whatever it is.
“It’s not getting easier with rising costs so to have that as a staple, it helps with everything.
"It helps with warm-weather training, it helps with competition attire. Every element of an athlete’s life it helps and assists with and I am really appreciative of it.”
For many, Broom-Edwards sharing gold with Lepiato was exactly like the Tokyo Olympic Games men’s high jump where Mutaz Essa Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share gold.
Broom-Edwards admitted the final decision was a bit of a no brainer.
He said: “We both had a perfect scorecard, similar to what happened at the Tokyo Olympics, so it feels wonderful.
"To be able to share it with someone who I’ve had this rivalry with for so many years, he’s the same age as me, we’re still here; I think it is poetic, I don’t mind.”
National Lottery players raise more than £30million a week for good causes including vital funding into sport – from grassroots to elite.
Find out how your numbers make amazing happen at: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk#TNLAthletes #MakeAmazingHappen
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