Gulf Times
It may not have been a setting that he is used to but Qatar’s high jump star Mutaz Essa Barshim was more than happy to win gold when he returned to competition for the first time since he successfully defended his gold at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha.
Barshim, returning from a career-threatening injury, had wowed a packed Khalifa International Stadium in October 2019, to become the first high jumper to win two straight world championship golds in history.
At the Qatar Athletics Federation’s Field Championships at Qatar Sports Club earlier this week, Barshim, representing Al Rayyan Sports Club, jumped 2.25m to win a competition that kickstarts his preparation for the Tokyo Olympics later this year.
While Barshim has flown over higher bars in his spectacular career so far, going over 2.40m for six straight years between 2013-2018, with his highest jump being the Asian record of 2.43 in Brussels (2014), the win on Monday perhaps gave him confidence and a benchmark after a long hiatus forced by the Covid-19 pandemic. The two-time Olympic medallist had himself tested positive in December last year.
On Monday, Barshim won gold ahead of Qatar SC’s Mohamed Hamdi al-Ameen, who jumped 2.14m and Al Ahli’s Sreenith Mohan, who cleared 1.80m.
Posting his competition video from the QAF Field Championships, Barshim wrote on Instagram: “Back at it! .... First competition since Doha 2019 !! ... 2.25 to win the nationals feels good and looking forward for more soon.”
Earlier this year, Barshim had made his intentions about the Olympics very clear. “My No.1 goal, as always, is to stay healthy. If I can, I will work hard to produce some good jumps and look for some records. The biggest thing is to be able to put up a good fight at the Olympics,” he was quoted as saying on World Athletics website.
“I’m looking forward to what is next for me. I’m very fortunate to have been a professional for 10 years and I’ve won literally everything except an Olympic gold. It is the one thing missing from my CV – and I would like to add it!”