Venue: Olympic Stadium, Tokyo 57,363 (48,000 seats).
28 competitors from 20 nations.
In nine meetings between 1960 and 1964, Brumel had beaten Thomas
8-1, and was hot favourite to win in Tokyo. The level of improvement
was evident as 20 men cleared 2.06 to qualify. Ten men jumped 2.09 in
the final, and the first shocks came at the next height of 2.12, when
Edward Czernik (POL), with a best of 2.20, and Ed Carruthers – the US
Champion – both failed. Only Brumel cleared this height at the first
attempt, with Rome veterans Pettersson, Shavlakadze and Thomas,
plus John Rambo, making 2.12 on their second tries.
All five cleared 2.14 with Rambo moving into the lead with a first-
time clearance, as the three Rome medallists cleared only on their final
jumps. The medals were settled at 2.16 as Brumel regained the lead,
this time from Thomas and Rambo, with Shavlakadze having a very
close miss at 2.16. The old rivals – Brumel and Thomas – cleared 2.18
first time in the drizzle which had fallen throughout the competition,
leaving Rambo with the bronze at 2.16. Neither man could clear 2.20,
with Brumel winning on countback. Thomas’s last miss came after
nearly five hours of competition.
URS
USA
SWE
FRG
CHA
AUS
POL
BUL
NGR
ITA
GER
GBR
CGO
NIG
ESP
FIN
FRA
ISL
JPN
PER
THA
PRK