A01096 - Mutaz Barshim, 2020 Olympic Champion in the High Jump

 Barshim, Mutaz

Mutaz Essa Barshim (b. June 24, 1991, Doha, Qatar) is a Qatari track and field athlete who specializes in the high jump.  He was the Olympic Champion in the high jump at the 2020 Olympic Games held in Tokyo, sharing the gold medal in an act of notable sportsmanship with his friend and fellow competitor, Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy, both with a height of 2.37 m (7 ft 9.3 in).   He won the bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games held in London, with a height of 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in).  However, in 2021, this medal was elevated to silver due to the disqualification of the original gold medalist, Ivan Ukhov of Russia, for doping offences. Barshim also won the silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro with a height of 2.36 m (7 ft 8.9 in).

Barshim is the national record and Asian record holder with a best mark of 2.43 m (7 ft 11¹⁄₂ in), the second highest jump in history.  He won gold at the 2017 World Championships in London and at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar.  He was the Asian Indoor and World Junior champion in 2010. He won the high jump gold medals at the 2011 Asian Athletics Championships and 2011 Military World Games.

He jumps off his left foot, using the Fosbury Flop technique, with a pronounced backwards arch over the bar.

On August 1, 2021, Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and Qatari athlete Mutaz Essa Barshim were declared tied winners of the men's high jump at the 2020 Summer Olmpics held in Tokyo after a nail-biting tie between both of them as they cleared 2.37m. Both Tamberi and Barshim agreed to share the gold medal in a rare instance in Olympic history where the athletes of different nations agreed to share the same medal. Barshim in particular was quoted in during the competition asking, "Can we have two golds?"