As a seasoned Olympian, the 33-year-old is determined to make his last Olympics appearance this summer in Paris, a testament to his unwavering commitment to the sport.
Qatar’s high jump superstar Mutaz Barshim triumphed on Sunday at the International High Jump Meeting in Heilbronn, Germany, topping a leap of 2.31 meters.
As he sharpens his focus for the upcoming Olympic Games, the reigning champion delivered a flawless performance, clearing the bar at 2.24 meters and 2.27 meters before successfully jumping 2.31 meters on his first attempt.
The 33-year-old star competed alongside a lineup of 10 jumpers, including former Commonwealth Games champion Brandon Starc of Australia, veteran former world champion Donald Thomas of the Bahamas, former European U-20 title winner Tobias Potye, and current German national champion.
Potye came in second, with Thomas in third.
The competition comes weeks before the kickoff of the Paris Olympics, which will start on July 26 and come to an end on August 11.
Earlier this month, Barshim revealed that the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris will be his last appearance in the games, expressing pride in his numerous accolades, including Olympic and World Championship titles.
Speaking to Africanews, the world champion who is set to compete in his fourth Olympics, said his goal is to retain his gold medal from Tokyo and set a high standard for future high jumpers to surpass.
“I want to create a legacy. When I retire, I want to look back and say, I’ve done the most that’s possible to be done,” Barshim told the media outlet.
“I want my name to be mentioned whenever high jump is mentioned,” he added.
The Golden Falcon of Qatar has become a household name for locals and the rest of the world.
Becoming the only high jump athlete to win five World Championship medals, Barshim has also nailed an Olympic gold and two silver medals in 2016 and 2012.
In 2020, Barshim was applauded for his sportsmanship as he decided to share the gold medal with Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi after both athletes continued to clear the same height of 2.37 meters for numerous runs.
Celebrating together, draped in each other’s flags and joyously embracing on the track, Barshim has called the moment a purely emotional decision that reflected his respect and love for his competitor.
However, Barshim has now pledged that he will not make the same gesture again if given the chance in Paris.
“That won’t be repeated. We will battle until the very end,” he told Africanews.
