Paris Olympics: Kiwi high jumper Hamish Kerr fires warning, beats Tokyo champion in Shanghai

Hamish Kerr makes an attempt in the men's high jump during the World Athletics Indoor Championships at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland. Photo / AP

New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr has fired another warning before this year’s Paris Olympics, defeating Tokyo gold medal winner Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar in Shanghai.

Kerr, 27, took out the high jump at the Shanghai leg of the Diamond League athletics series, and cleared 2.31m for the title.

Barshim - who shared gold in Tokyo three years ago with Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi - failed in his attempts at 2.31m, before passing and also failing to clear 2.33m.

Barshim and Tamberi both took gold at the last Olympics by clearing 2.37m.

“I’ve been working on a few technical things, so for that to work out tonight, I’m stoked,” Kerr said.

“Just to be out there with these athletes who I really look up to like Barshim and to beat them, I still have to pinch myself.

“This gives me a lot of confidence going into the season ahead.”

Barshim is the greatest high jumper of his generation. The 32-year-old is a three-time world champion and is the current Olympic champion, having also won silvers in 2012 and 2016.

His best of 2.43m has been bettered only by Cuban Javier Sotomayor, who set the world record of 2.45m in 1993.

Kerr’s winning mark of 2.31m was 5cm down on his personal and New Zealand best of 2.36m, which he cleared in claiming the world indoor title in Glasgow in March.