Alkass Digital
Qatar’s reigning Olympic champion Mutaz Barshim yesterday started his Diamond League season, finishing second after being edged by USA’s Shelby McEwen in the high-jump event in Xiamen, China.
Both cleared a best of 2.27m – a meet record – on what was a tricky night for jumping with a damp runway with the American winning on countback.
Hamish Kerr of New Zealand was next best with 2.24m. Barshim, who is eyeing his second consecutive Olympic gold this year, was satisfied to start his season with second position.
“I didn’t get the win, but it’s a good opening to be honest, it is a 2.27 today,” said the Qatar superstar.
“I had to adjust my run up. It was a bit tricky situation. It was windy, rainy, and again windy and rainy. So it’s a bit tough to jump to be honest, but I think I should be satisfied with the opening of the season,” he said.
“During the race, every jump feels different because I can’t do my way of job which is very fast jumping. I have to adjust a lot. In my 20s, I was much more healthy, I don’t have so much injury, but I didn’t have so much experience,” the 32-year-old added.
Barshim said he would continue to work to bring improvement as he prepares for Paris Olympics.
“Now it’s just the beginning of the year. The target for me is always the Olympics. It’s my fourth Olympics and it’s very important to me and I want to be sure that I am ready to fight and jump high. So everything I’m doing now is according to the plan to be ready for the Olympics,” said the lanky athlete, who also has won two silver medals at the Games.
Meanwhile, China’s Gong Lijiao thrilled the home crowd with a win in the women’s shot put, launching a 19.72m throw in the second round to beat New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche (19.63m) and USA’s Chase Jackson (19.62m).
In the women’s javelin, a non-Diamond League event, China’s Dai Qianqian claimed victory with 61.25m ahead of Latvia’s Lina Muze-Sirma (58.91m) and Colombia’s Flor Denis Ruiz Hurtado (58.50m).