Mutaz Barshim poses for a photo at the Lusail International Circuit Paddock Club on the sidelines of the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix, on Sunday. Pic: Instagram/Mutaz Barshim
Doha, Qatar: After winning a gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games, Mutaz Barshim is back home taking a break before he gets back to work for another hectic season that includes the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The reigning Olympic high jump champion equaled his own Asian Games record, leaping 2.35m to take the third gold in the quadrennial event after his Asiad titles in 2010 and 2014.
Barshim skipped the finale in Eugene where he was well positioned to clinch his fourth Diamond League trophy to focus on the Asian Games, and the last week’s gold medal was a mission accomplished for the three-time world champion.
“Hangzhou was amazing. I was really happy with 2.35m – the Asian Games record. It was a very good end to the season, can’t complain,” Barshim told reporters at Lusail International Circuit’s Paddock Club on the sidelines of Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday night.
With multiple global, continental and regional titles to his credit, Barshim is the most successful Qatari sportsman alongside five-time Dakar Rally champion and skeet Olympic medallist Nasser Al Attiyah.
The 32-year-old has no plan to stop as he has already set his sights on more victories next season including triumph at the Olympics.
“I am feeling good as I am back home for recovery. You know, it’s the off season. I want to recharge my mind and my body. Hopefully, I will be ready for the next season which is a big season as Olympics is also coming up. Yeah, we need to be ready,” said Barshim, who famously shared the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold with Italian Gianmarco Tamberi.
Barshim, who has world’s second highest mark of 2.43m he leapt in Brussels nine years ago, also has Cuban Javier Sotomayor’s longstanding world record of 2.45m among his targets.
“For me, to be honest, everything is on the line and I want to do as much as possible during my career,” he said.
But the lanky athlete said he would be cautious: “It’s an Olympic year. Of course you don’t want to anything stupid. The preparation got to be in place for the podium, definitely gold. That’s why it would be a season where we would not like to take much risk because you want to make sure that you come ready and be peaking at the right time.”
