New Zealand's Hamish Kerr celebrates after winning the men's high jump at the World Athletics Championships

Tokyo (AFP) - Hamish Kerr claimed New Zealand’s second gold medal in two days at the world championships in Tokyo when he won the men’s high jump on Tuesday.

Olympic champion Kerr managed a best of 2.36 metres for gold to follow up on Geordie Beamish’s shock victory in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase on Monday.

South Korea’s Sanghyeok Woo claimed silver with a best of 2.34m.

The Korean upped the ante at the climax of a thrilling competition by skipping 2.36m, the bar raised to 2.38m.

But he was ultimately unsuccessful, leaving Kerr to race around the track and take the applause from a raucous crowd at the National Stadium.

Czech Jan Stefela took bronze with 2.31m on countback from Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk.