DUBAI: “I’ve made history being on top of my game for the past decade, but I still thrive for more.” That was what Mutaz Essa Barshim told World Athletics before the Doha Diamond League opener in May, and there is no doubt that the Qatari athlete has already sealed his place among the pantheon of high jumpers.
A chase for an unprecedented fourth successive world title ended in disappointment on Tuesday in Budapest however, as he had to settle for a bronze medal in what was an uncharacteristically poor performance.
Although perhaps the warning signs were there when he failed with his first effort at 2.25 meters, a height he normally clears with ease, immediately giving the momentum to his competitors. He did clear 2.29m on his first attempt alongside Gianmarco Tamberi and JuVaughn Harrison and it looked as though it would be a three-way battle for the gold.
All three sailed over 2.33m, and with a thrilling finale looking certain, all he had to do was hope for mistakes by his rivals to claim another gold.
Unfortunately for Barshim, it was not to be. He failed at his first two attempts when the bar was raised to 2.36m while Tamberi cleared with his first, and Harrison with his second. His third attempt was lacklustre and his glory laden six-year reign at major outdoor championships came to an end as Tamberi, his great friend and rival, secured his first world title.
A record-extending fourth world crown proved to be one step too far, yet there is no doubting that the 32-year-old has been a beacon of hope for not only Qatari athletes, but also the entire Gulf region, for what he has achieved in the sport. It has not come easily however, with Barshim facing plenty of challenges along an arduous road to success.
Two Olympic silvers in 2012 and 2016 (the former being upgraded from an initial bronze) were sandwiched between a runner-up finish at the 2013 worlds, and this suggested he was making inroads toward becoming one of the best there had ever been in the event.
Indeed, when the 2017 World Athletics Championships rolled around, Barshim was ready to conquer all in front of him. In the same stadium in which he secured his first Olympic medal five years prior, he cleared every height perfectly and won his maiden world title, although he ended his competition by missing three attempts at 2.40m. It did not matter though as Barshim had already secured the win.
With a world title under his belt, and after five consecutive years of clearing 2.40m, his next goal was to break Javier Sotomayor’s world record of 2.45m.
A potentially history-making moment soon turned into a nightmare as he suffered a serious ankle injury which ruled him out of the remainder of the 2018 season and with Doha playing host to the subsequent World Championships, Barshim faced a race to be fit.
On the injury, he told the “Mind Set Win” podcast: “I found one doctor. He had been operating on sports injuries for 30 or 40 years, and he told me, ‘this is the worst I have ever seen.’ He said any chance of coming back was maybe 1 percent, it’s impossible.”
The Doha-born star looked down the barrel at the prospect of missing not only the worlds in his home country, but also having to end his career prematurely when it looked as though he was about to explode into the stratosphere.
Such adversity may have destroyed a weaker man, but Barshim is no mere mortal. With records to chase and an elusive Olympic gold medal to win, the high jumper stormed to the top of the podium in front of a packed crowd at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. He cleared a height of 2.37m to become the first jumper to win successive world titles, with his ascent to a local deity nearly complete.
It would be a two-year wait for the Olympics due to the coronavirus pandemic disrupting various sporting events but, when it finally arrived, Barshim created more history and, for once, it was not down to his jumping ability.
The Olympic Games and Qatar have not exactly had a winning relationship. Indeed, the country has only secured eight medals since it began competing at the Games in 1984.
Under the lights in Tokyo on Aug. 1, 2021, with a pulsating crowd behind him, Barshim had the chance to make his own history but also history for his nation. Deep into the competition, Barshim and Tamberi were neck and neck. The duo had cleared each height on the first attempt and when the bar was raised to 2.39m, both could smell glory.
What happened next though was a mark of true sportsmanship rarely seen at the highest level.
The pair both failed with their three attempts at the height and, if going by the rules, a jump off would be needed to declare a winner. “Can we have two golds?” Barshim nonchalantly asked the official, and when he said it was possible, all hell broke loose.
The Italian burst into 1,000 emotions all at once, seeing a dream come true due to the remarkable act of sportsmanship from the Qatari athlete.
It was a mark of the man after all the examples of his quality as a sportsman.
Medals and records are what world-class athletes train for every day in life, sacrificing everything for that one opportunity to make themselves a hero. Barshim has enjoyed such moments more than most, yet sharing gold in Tokyo will perhaps be what he is best remembered for.
As for this? Perhaps not so much. Finishing third in Budapest and missing out on a fourth consecutive world crown ended his dominance of the sport, but he has certainly made his mark and his achievements will surely inspire thousands of young athletes in his home country and throughout the region and remind them they can conquer the world.
But is this the end? We know better when it comes to Barshim. Sotomayer’s world record of 2.45m potentially remains in his sights.