After Paris bronze, Mutaz eyes fourth world title in Tokyo

Mutaz Essa Barshim, the best high jumper Qatar has ever produced, recently returned from the 2024 Paris Olympics as the nation’s only medallist at the quadrennial Games.

The 33-year-old jumper, who maintains the same drive and hunger to win medals now as he did as a teenager, is chasing more history as he prepares for an unprecedented fourth World Championships gold in Tokyo, Japan, next year.

The lanky athlete, who announced the Paris Olympics and Tokyo Worlds would be his last two major championships, said he would prepare for it in right earnest.

Mutaz had won three back-to-back world titles at the 2017 London, 2019 Doha, and 2022 Eugene World Championships.

“There’s always something new, and I’ll be competing in the Tokyo Worlds next year. The rest of the events, like the Diamond League, I’ll compete only if it serves our agenda. It has to be like part of the training that leads to a bigger Championship. So, of course, it might be a few Diamond League events,” he was quoted as saying by The Peninsula during his first media interaction since winning bronze in Paris.

“The most important for me will be the ‘What Gravity Challenge.’ It’s my baby and the first edition was truly amazing. So I’m looking forward to competing in that and the World Championships. Anything apart from that, we’ll see,” he added.

Barshim, who had said Paris would be his last Olympic appearance, kept the door open for one more shot at glory at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“I know I can go for one more. But for me, it isn’t just about going to the Olympics for the sake of it. When I’m there, I want to go for a win. For me, in order to do that, I need to be 100%. I don’t really like going to competitions without fitness. 

“I’ve to try not to get injured. It’s really, really difficult as a passionate high jumper to do that. And that’s what I’ve been doing for the past two or three years. I would let myself take some good time to heal. But it’s possible. You never know,” he was quoted as saying at Katara’s Chedi Hotel. 

He is also aiming to break Cuban Javier Sotomayor’s long-standing world record of 2.45M.

“Every day I wake up, I take it day by day. For me, I look at everything as a challenge, and the world record is not excluded. It’s always there at the back of my mind. But I feel like at this stage, I’ve done it all, and the only thing I’m looking for is to be healthy and push myself. So let’s hope for the next few seasons,” Barshim, who’s personal best of 2.43M is the second-best jump in history, said.

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