Joel Clarke-Khan was seen as a contender to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris after notching 2.27m at the 2023 Diamond League in London. But soon after, a repeated foot fracture changed everything, eventually leading to surgery.  The setback caused a lengthy recovery period. Three years later, in 2026, he’s back on the world stage with a European Championships qualifying mark, and later opened up about the toughest phase of his career.

On June 21 in Birmingham, Clarke-Khan equalled his personal best of 2.27m in the men’s high jump to win the UK title and secure qualification for the European Athletics Championships. He finished ahead of Kimani Jack (2.24m) and Charlie Husbands (2.21m).

After the win, Clarke-Khan reflected on the journey, saying, “Basically, I broke my foot, like, over and over again. Three times, I think it was. And on the third time, they decided to put a screw in it. That was the course from then to now.”

He suffered repeated fifth metatarsal fractures followed by surgery, but still managed to fight his way back.  Much of that was possible after reconnecting with Worcester Athletic Club coach Deirdre Elmhirst, which helped him rebuild step by step.

He continued: “Eight months ago I went back to my old coach; she’s been fantastic. We built slowly, I worked hard and tried to work smart as well. I can’t believe it’s all paid off… I can’t believe I had a screw put in my foot in eight months, and I’m here today.” He also credited the people around him during the difficult periods, especially his partner Molly Caudery, the 2024 and 2026 World Indoor Champion and British record holder with a personal best of 4.92m.

Clarke-Khan said: “She’s a great support, but the fact that she was competing at the highest level while I was so close to it kept me involved. It kept my fire burning through those difficult periods.” He added: “And for her to have success, at least one of us was having success, and it just kept me going. Massive thanks to her and my coach.”

Even with the setbacks, his form has been building again. Earlier this year, the 26-year-old cleared 2.19m to win the men’s high jump at the Indoor Championships in Birmingham, edging past Regan Corrin on countback. Now, his focus turns to the Commonwealth Games this summer, where he will aim to carry this momentum onto a bigger stage. But his talent has been visible right from the start, even in his early years on the national and international circuit.

The road from Worcester to the World stage

Clarke-Khan’s career started in Worcestershire at Worcester Athletics Club, where he made his debut in the high jump. He won the English Schools Championships runner-up trophy as a junior in 2017 in Birmingham with 2.15m, behind Tom Gale. Later that year, he had his first international competition at the European U20 Championships in Grosseto.

He swiftly climbed the ranks, taking his first British honours at 2.18m in 2020. Success extended to the national level in 2022 (2.21m) and major events like the Commonwealth Games and European and World Championships.

By 2023, he had bounced back to the top of Britain’s rankings with his third national title. And soon after, he had a foot fracture. He was still getting his form in 2024 with a 2.21m clearance in Oxford, but 2025 was a year of rebuilding as he looked to get his flow back. Then in 2026, it all came back; he cleared 2.27 m. It was an overwhelming moment: “I couldn’t quite believe it, to be honest, and I think that’s where the explosion of emotions came… I’ve worked really, really hard over the last few years.”

He added, “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, 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.” That result now shifts attention to what he can build next on the international stage.