File photo of Mutaz Barshim.
DOHA: For any modern-day pro, getting sidelined for months due to an injury while being on the top is a painful experience.
Track and field star Mutaz Barshim is going through a similar phase where there’s little action on the field but the World Champion high jumper is making the most of a ‘rare vacation’ time following surgery in July.
Barshim, 27, tied the knot last week and the lanky athlete is only too pleased to be with his family.
“As I’ve got married recently, I (now) have time to be with the family,” Barshim told The Peninsula in an exclusive interview.
“I have time for my family. I don’t even remember when I had my last vacations as I was very young then,” the world’s top high jumper added.
Barshim said he is recovering from the ankle surgery he underwent in July while attempting to set a new world record height of 2.46 metres, after clearing a 2018 world-leading 2.40m in Hungary.
The injury had ruled him out of the remaining season which also included the Asian Games 2018 in August, where he looked certain to win a gold medal for Qatar.
“I missed competing because I love competing…..I love my job. I haven’t lost any competition (before injury), did 2.40 jumps, world lead, two three meeting records. The season was going too good. I wouldn’t go in if and buts everything happens for a reason.
“I am happy, I will just have to rethink and make schedule what I will have to do next,” said the 2017 IAAF’s World-Athlete-of-the-Year.
Not in a hurry to make a comeback
The 27-year-old said he was not in a hurry to make an international return, terming next October’s IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha and 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games as his main targets.
“It’s a strong injury so it needs time. Recovery is going fine but I don’t want to rush anything as they say ‘step by step’. For me the only targets are Doha Worlds and Tokyo Games. Small competition doesn’t matter because I need to take care of my health now.”
The Rio Olympics silver medallist said he may hit the training gym in a month’s time.
“Right now my only training is walking. May be I will start light training next month. At the moment I will just have to listen to my body because we cannot plan anything.
“As long as I feel pain it’s dangerous. I can look forward to full training only after I get the right signal and doctors say it’s not dangerous anymore. Right now I have to be patient,” he said.
Asked whether he was confident to return to winning ways once he comes back, he said: “I cannot say about the future but when I will return I will try to be an improved athlete as I love to bring improvement.”
Barshim happy with Qatar’s rise in athletics
In Barshim’s absence, 400m hurdler Abderrahman Samba made Qatar proud throughout this season, recording world lead and staying unbeaten in nine finals besides setting the world’s quickest time since 1992. Samba was also nominated for IAAF World Athlete-of-the-Year.
“Before there were not many (compatriots) alongside me. But now there’s Samba (Abdalelah) Haroun, there is Ashraf (Amgad Elseify). These guys are coming up. They are doing great stuff at international stage.
“I feel very proud and it gives a lot of pleasure to watch them and wish them the best,” Barshim said.
The gravity-defying high jumper also heaped praise on Qatari athletes Owaab Barrow and Abdelaziz Mohamed, who won gold medals in 110m (91.4cm) hurdles and 200m respectively at Youth Olympic Games in Argentina last month.
“They have showed they have a solid ground and they are on the right way. I hope we have much more people like them,” Barshim said.
