At 32, Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim is the country’s most decorated athlete.
Qatar’s ‘Golden Falcon’, Mutaz Essa Barshim, was hailed the ‘Best Asian Male Athlete’ by the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) for the second time in a row.
Held in Bangkok, Thailand, the award was received by Mutaz’s father, Essa Barshim, in light of the 50th anniversary of the AAA.
Despite not being present, Qatar’s reigning Olympic and world high jump champion voiced his fulfillment in winning the award after first securing it in 2018.
“I’m so honored and proud to have been awarded the title of ‘Best Asian Athlete’ for the second consecutive year. I want to thank my beloved country, Qatar, my family, my friends, my team, my sponsors, and fans who continually support and believe in me,” Barshim wrote on his social media account.
Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) President Mohammed Issa Al Fadala dubbed the three-time World Champion and Olympic gold medalist as one of the best athletes to represent the country.
“I want to congratulate His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad, President of the Olympic Committee, on the occasion of Qatari athlete Mutaz Barshim being named the Best Male Athlete in Asia for the second time,” the QAF President said in a statement.
“This achievement reflects the consistent level of performance by Mutaz Barshim and showcases the continuous presence of Qatari athletics on the celebration podiums. Furthermore, we celebrate the presence of five Qatari champions: Mohammed Suleiman, Ibrahim Ismail, Talal Mansoor, Mutaz Barshim, Ismail Abkar. This demonstrates the stability and excellence of Qatari athletics,” Al Fadala added.
At 32, Barshim is indeed a man on a mission. He dominated this year’s West Asia Athletics Championship, taking home the gold medal with a jump of 2.20m.
The top-tier athlete is the current World Champion and second-highest jumper of all time with a personal best of 2.43.
Barshim now has eyes on the fourth consecutive world title which will be up for grabs in next month’s World Championships in Budapest.
The Golden Falcon will then compete in the Asian Games, set to be hosted in China’s city of Hangzhou from 23 September to 8 October.
