Q Life Magazine Issue 7 | Page 30

Issue 7 Qataris Abroad Barshim defends the world high jump title at the 2019 IAAF World Championships At some moments, it feels like time just freezes, things go slow and at that moment when you clear the bar you feel like you are actually flying. Mutaz Barshim, Olympian and world champion in high jump MUTAZ BARSHIM Soaring to new heights Nicknamed the Arabian Falcon, he is one of Qatar’s greatest living sporting heroes, seemingly defying gravity to fly through the air. A s the current world champion in high Barshim also won at the 2014 Asian Indoor Athletics jump, Mutaz Barshim is also the nation’s Championships in China, and the 2014 Asian Games most successful Olympian, and the man many in South Korea. In 2016, he won a silver medal at the schoolchildren aspire to be. Olympics. When he attempted the 2.43 metre jump in the And in October 2019 – after overcoming an injury Diamond League 2014 in Brussels, the crowd sustained competing in Hungary and ankle surgery watched in awed silence as he took on Ukrainian – the 29-year-old became the first man to defend the Bohdan Bondarenko. world high jump title, with another spectacular win The two men were engaged in a tense standoff, rivals in high jump as the best jumpers in the world. Barshim’s fans erupted into joyous cheers as he cleared the bar, making him the second highest 30 at the 2019 IAAF World Championships. This took place in his home city of Doha with a world- leading jump of 2.37 metres, taking a gold medal with his signature agility, ease and technique. jumper ever after the Cuban record of 2.45 metres, The crowd at the Khalifa International Stadium went set in 1993. wild, with celebrations continuing for many days. 31