Olympic medalist Mutaz Barshim has nabbed another win for Qatar this week, taking the men’s high jump gold at the IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships in Poland yesterday.
Barshim beat Russian Ivan Ukhov after jumping a best of 2.38 meters.
According to the IAAF, the 22-year-old “was in silky smooth form, sailing over 2.20m, 2.25m, 2.29m, 2.32m, 2.34m and 2.36m with room to spare.”
It quotes him as saying:
“It is my first indoor medal and it’s a gold,” he said. “I’m very happy with that and with an Asian record.”
The victory is the latest notch in Barshim’s belt. Last year, he won a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow, and was named Arab Athlete of the Year at the 5th Mohamed Bin Rashid Creative Sports Awards in Dubai. In 2012, he won an Olympic bronze medal in London for the high jump.
Accolades are pouring in for the young athlete online:
The most talented jumper of all time: @mutazbarsham . He defies the curvature of space-time.
— Osku Torro (@OskuTorro) March 9, 2014
"Congrats @mutazbarsham on the big win. http://t.co/vcrmqK1rqB”
— Sal (@Salman_Surti) March 10, 2014
Despite his many successes, Barshim appears to be holding on to his humility and sense of humor:
I feel like Mohammed Ali "flying like a butterfly and light like a bee" HAAAAAAA #rumbleyoungmanrumble #true
— معتز برشم ♕Barshim (@mutazbarshim) March 10, 2014
Thoughts?
