Mutaz Barshim, Qatar’s golden falcon, secures second place in the men’s high jump final at the Suzhou Diamond League meeting, aiming for a successful season and upcoming competitions.

Qatar’s golden falcon Mutaz Barshim soared high in the men’s high jump final of the Suzhou Diamond League meeting, finishing second behind Hamish Kerr of New Zealand. 

Recording 2.31m and 2.33m, the 32-year-old settled for second place, voicing that his goal was not to push himself too hard.  

“I loving coming back to compete here, and it was a nice week. This is an important season for me, and I am really looking forward to the next competition. I really love Suzhou and enjoyed it with my wife here. The fans are very supportive and encouraged me a lot,” Barshim said in his post-game conference. 

“The weather is way better Compared to the last meeting in Xiamen. Due to the rain (in Xiamen), I was really concerned, and I did not want to push myself too hard because I did not want to be injured and ruin my season. The Olympics is the goal with my next competition in Doha in two weeks,” he added.

The Qatari high jumper is planning on appearing at his fourth Olympics appearance.

At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the Qatari icon exemplified sportsmanship when he ended the nail-biting jump-off between him and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi and instead shared his gold medal with his competitor. 

As a seasoned Olympian, Barshim won Olympic gold and two silver medals in 2016 and 2012, among his international achievements.

The Qatari star will appear at home at the Doha Diamond League, which will be held on May 10th, before entering the Paris Olympics.