Joel Clarke-Khan jumping for joy
It is easy to say that it was ONLY the British Championship, but the win meant so much to Joel Clarke-Khan. The winner shed tears of joy after equalling his personal best to win the men’s high jump. After winning three outdoor British titles between 2020 and 2023, Clarke-Khan endured an injury-plagued 18 months with toe problems. At that stage, his career was very much on the up. Fifth in the Commonwealth Games in 2022, competing in the European and World Championships. Then the injury. If you break a leg, you understand it, but injuring a toe? The injury just would not mend!
He competed only once in 2025, but 2026 has been going well. His winning jump of 2.27 meters, equalling his PR, would have put him on the podium in both Diamond League high jump competitions.
You can hear the emotion in his comments after the event and in the photos. It is a nice reminder that athletes are human and not machines.
“I was just thinking in the moment before I cleared it, this is the moment I have dreamt about. This is a moment that will live long in the memories. I don’t even mean if I clear it, even if I don’t clear it, to be in a position, fighting for the gold, a final jump, the whole crowd behind you, I thought, I’m living for the moment. The result is a bonus.
“So I just kind of embraced it, and then the next thing I know, I’m over the bar. And then I can’t really remember, to be honest. It was just an emotional explosion, like tears, tears, tears, literally bawling my eyes out. I was happy with 2.24, to be honest. I was happy with 2.21. But I’ve been telling myself, I’m going to win, I’m going to win, I’m going to win. Nothing else. Constantly, we have been repeating it out loud. I’m going to win, I’m going to win. I’m just a bit surprised that it actually happened.
“These little moments are the ones you work for your whole career. I’ve kind of been living off that moment in London Diamond League in 2023 [third with 2:27 PR], that’s been keeping my fire burning for a long time now during the injuries, and it’s been burning pretty thin. So it’s nice to have something to reignite that fire.
I’ll revisit the actual jump later. But I think it was a good clearance. And I think that tells me that there’s more in the tank that we’re back and we’re not just back, but we’re better. So, I’m going to have to try and bring all this back together and then build for the next one, and hopefully continue”.
