RIO DE JANEIRO -- Although he wasn't competing for Team USA, Canadian Olympian Derek Drouin's gold medal in the men's high jump Tuesday earned praise here in the Hoosier state.
Drouin, an Indiana University graduate, is the first IU alumnus to earn an individual gold medal in an Olympic track & field event since Greg Bell took home the gold in long jump in 1956.
ICYMI: @ddrouin10 won gold in the men's high jump last night!
Story: https://t.co/JJq23wmPYp pic.twitter.com/2HYtDFxFwa
— IU Track & Field (@IUTrackXC) August 17, 2016
Drouin, who was a five-time NCAA high jump champion during his time at IU, bested the competition with a mark of 2.38 meters (7.8 feet).
The medal is also only the second won so far at the Rio Olympics by a Canadian male athlete, and the first gold medal for a Canadian male this year. Drouin is the first Canadian to win a gold medal in a field sport since 1932.
