Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s high jump superstar Mutaz Barshim is looking to build on his return from injury, when he competes against an impressive field at the Monaco Diamond League today, being held at the iconic Stade Louis II.
The Tokyo 2020 gold medallist arrives in Monaco after clearing a season’s best 2.27m in Doha last month, his best jump in more than a year, as he continues his comeback following a long spell on the sidelines.
“It’s really good to be back here in Monaco. I have a lot of great memories in this stadium,” Barshim said during the press conference yesterday.
“Last year was really difficult for me, dealing with some very serious injuries. Now I’m finally back, able to put on my spikes and do what I love the most, which is jumping and competing,” the 35-year-old said.
“My legs are a bit more tired than they were 15 years ago, but I’m ready to jump. I feel good,” Barshim, who made the second highest jump in the history, said.
Reflecting on his career, Barshim said he is “lucky to have competed through three generations.”
“When I retire, I want people to remember that I produced high-level performances for a very long time. The longer you perform at the highest level, the more you separate yourself from everyone else,” Barshim said.
Beyond his own performance, Barshim also spoke about his involvement in promoting athletics through his What Gravity Tour, a high jump series designed to bring elite competition closer to fans.
“I’ve been travelling for more than a decade and writing down ideas. I feel like this is the right time to make them happen,” he said.
The series has seen immense success during its previous outings in Doha, Germany and Slovakia, with Monaco set to host the next stop on August 5.
“It’s a show for the people while also giving athletes a World Athletics-certified competition. Hopefully we can attract new fans to the sport we love,” Barshim said.
The men’s high jump at tomorrow’s Diamond League meeting promises to be one of the most competitive events, with a field featuring six athletes who have cleared at least 2.33m in their careers.
The Qatari superstar remains the standout performer on paper with a personal best of 2.43m, comfortably the highest in the field, although his season’s best of 2.27m reflects his gradual return to his usual form.
Among his challengers today, Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk has the best seasonal best mark (2.33m) while Czech Republic’s Jan Stefela also arrives in excellent form with a season best of 2.32m.
Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi, who famously shared the gold medal with Barshim at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, also returns to Diamond League action following a long hiatus, while Doha meeting winner Matteo Sioli of Italy, Mexico’s Erick Portillo, Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford and American JuVaughn Harrison also add strength to the field.
Among other highlights, the meeting will also features some of the biggest names in world athletics, led by pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, who has set his sights on a 16th world record at his new home stadium after relocating to Monaco.
Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred headlines a stacked women’s 200m field that also includes Olympic champion Gabrielle Thomas and world leader Adaejah Hodge, promising one of the fastest races of the season.
The men’s 100m is also under the spotlight, with reigning world champion Oblique Seville taking on Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo and world indoor champion Jordan Anthony, promising fireworks at the 10th stop of the prestigious series.
