Erik Kynard

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Erik Kynard
Erik Kynard London 2012.jpg
Erik Kynard, London 2012
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1991-02-03) February 3, 1991 (age 33)
Toledo, Ohio, U.S.
Height6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight188 lb (85 kg)
Sport
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Sport Track and field
Event High Jump
College team Kansas State University
Turned pro2013
Coached byCliff Rovelto
Retired2021
Medal record
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2012 London High jump
World Indoor Championships
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2014 Sopot High jump
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2016 Portland High jump

Erik Kynard Jr. (born February 3, 1991) is an American track and field athlete who competes in the high jump. In his Olympic debut at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London as a 21-year-old, he won a silver medal in the men's high jump. His silver medal was upgraded to gold in 2021 with the disqualification of original champion Ivan Ukhov from Russia for doping. [1]

Contents

Kynard was born in 1991, the son of Erik Kynard and Brandynn Adams. He is a 2009 graduate of Rogers High School in Toledo, Ohio, and a graduate of Kansas State University where he trains under Cliff Rovelto. He jumps off his right leg.

At the 2012 United States Olympic Trials, Kynard made the Olympic team by placing second behind Jamie Nieto with a height of 2.28 m. At the Olympics, Kynard won silver [2] behind Russian Ivan Ukhov with a height of 2.33 m, the first major international medal of his career. Ukhov won the competition with a height of 2.38 m. Throughout the high jump competition, Kynard was noticed by his American-themed tube socks.

In February 2019, it was announced that all of Ivan Ukhov's results from 16 July 2012 to 31 December 2015 were being disqualified for doping, making Eric Kynard the rightful recipient of the 2012 gold medal.

At the start of the 2013 outdoor season, he cleared a world-leading mark of 2.34 m at the Mt SAC Relays. [3] He won the high jump title at the United States Outdoor National Championships in 2014 and 2015: in the latter he tied his personal best, and the Meet record, of 2.37m (7' 9-1/4").

In January 2022, despite being retired, Kynard accepted a 6-month ban from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for receiving an IV infusion of saline solution with no prohibited substances without a therapeutic use exemption. [4]

Major competition record

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
2008 World Junior Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland 19th (q) High jump 2.10 m
2009 Pan American Junior Championships Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago 2nd High jump 2.10 m
2011 World Championships Daegu, South Korea 14th (q) High jump 2.28 m
Universiade Shenzhen, China 13th High jump 2.15 m
2012 Olympic Games London, United Kingdom 1st High jump 2.33 m
2013 World Championships Moscow, Russia 5th High jump 2.32 m
2014 World Indoor Championships Sopot, Poland 3rd High jump 2.34 m
2015 World Championships Beijing, China 8th High jump 2.25 m
2016 World Indoor Championships Portland, United States 3rd High jump 2.33 m
Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 6th High jump 2.33 m
2017 World Championships London, United Kingdom High jump NM
2018 World Indoor Championships Birmingham, United Kingdom 4th High jump 2.29 m

Personal bests

EventBest (m)VenueDate
High jump (outdoor)2.37 Lausanne, Switzerland June 4, 2013
High jump (indoor)2.34 Birmingham February 15, 2014

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References

  1. "United States high jumper Erik Kynard to get 2012 Olympic gold medal from Russian doper". ESPN.com. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. "Erik Kynard wins high jump at U.S. Olympic track and field trials". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  3. Lee, Kirby (2013-04-21). Kynard's 2.34m among seven world leads at Mt SAC Relays. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-04-22.
  4. Erik Kynard Jr., Olympic high jump champion, sanctioned while retired NBC Sports