01 Aug 2021
Tokyo, Japan. Qatar superstar athlete and Aspire Academy graduate, Mutaz Essa Barshim has completed the perfect Olympic set of medals with a jump that won him gold medal in high jump on Sunday 1st August 2021 at Tokyo 2020 Games. Mutaz and Italian Gianmarco Tamberi were the last men standing after clearing 2.37m and would go on to register three failures each at 2, 39m leaving them equally match and thus jointly shared the high jump gold medal for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Mutaz won bronze at London 2012, followed by silver at Rio 2016 and spurred on by an entire Nation and set out to fulfill his desired and cherished personal goal to win gold and delivered with class and style. Mutaz, the most decorated of graduates from Aspire Academy- the world’s foremost youth sports academy and reference to elite youth sports development is anow the reigning Olympic and world champion at high jump.
His win makes it a great Olympic Games outing for Qatar who now have count their second gold medal in as many days following the wonderful exploits of Qatari weightlifter, Fares Elbakh who won a historic first Olympic gold medal for Qatar on Saturday 31st July in the 96k category.
Mutaz did not only showcase his immense talent and ability as a sportsman, but his gamesmanship and ethical values taught at his alma mater (Aspire Academy) were on display for all to see when he responded to the Games official’s quest to decide the positions by asking, “Can we not have two golds?” and the answer came back, ”It's possible if you both decide' and the Aspire graduate and reigning world champion then offered Tamberi his hand to agree to sharing the gold and the pair shared an emotional hug and embrace that defines the true Olympic spirit- and therein was Mutaz the elderly statesman between the athletes showing the exemplary leadership and ambassadorial attributes of his sport by leading Tamberi in sharing the gold over the other option given, that of deciding a single winner in a jump-off. After the join golds, the bronze medal went to Belarusian Maksim Nedasekau who also cleared 2.37m.
Speaking after his win alongside Gianmarco Tamberi, Mutaz said, “ This Olympic gold medal is the one that was missing from all that l have won and l feel relieved to have got it today. I can’t put it in words what this means, it’s a great feeling and l didn’t know what to say but l didn’t want to finish and look back and say there is one thing missing, so yes winning this gold medal means a lot to me and l am happy. I am so happy and to share it Gianmarco Tamberi, l couldn’t be happier", said Mutaz.
Barshim added a coveted Olympic gold to his list of accolades and his personal best of 2.43m is the second-highest jump of all time and is only behind Javier Sotomayor's world record mark of 2.45m set in 1993.