DOHA: Mutaz Barshim has spent more than a decade redefining the limits of the high jump, collecting Olympic medals, world titles, and establishing himself among the greatest athletes in the sport’s history.
His achievements include Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, silver in London 2012 and Rio 2016, and bronze at Paris 2024. On the world stage, he has multiple World Athletics Championships titles, with golds in London 2017, Doha 2019 and Eugene 2022, plus an indoor world title in Sopot 2014. His personal best of 2.43m, set in Brussels in 2014, remains the Asian and Qatari record and one of the highest jumps in history.
Yet as Barshim enters the latter stages of his career, his focus is increasingly shifting away from records and toward legacy.
Speaking ahead of the Doha Diamond League, he said his ambitions are now defined less by numbers and more by impact.
“I’m looking for legacy,” Barshim said. “I want to make sure when I leave this sport, it’s going to be so difficult for the next person to come close to my achievements.”
The 34-year-old, who is nearing 35, acknowledged that he is in what he called the “final lap” of his career, though he remains active and motivated to compete while his body allows it.
“I feel like I’m definitely on the final lap of my career,” he said.
Barshim’s recent seasons have been shaped by injury setbacks that interrupted his rhythm and forced him into long recovery phases. He has spoken openly about how injuries to his foot, ankle and shoulder affected his ability to compete consistently, requiring careful management with his team and a gradual return to full training.
Rather than rushing back, Barshim and his coaching group opted for a cautious rebuild, focusing on technical consistency and physical stability before returning to competition. That process, he said, helped him rediscover motivation and clarity about how he wants to approach the rest of his career.
Despite those challenges, he continues to compete at elite level and insists he still finds purpose in every jump, even if the long-term picture is changing.
Barshim has not formally announced retirement, but he has previously acknowledged in public statements that his Olympic journey is complete following Paris 2024, where he concluded his participation with a bronze medal. While stepping away from Olympic competition, he continues to compete selectively, choosing events based on fitness, motivation and timing rather than a fixed schedule.
Alongside competition, Barshim is increasingly focused on shaping the future of athletics beyond his own career.
Central to that vision is the What Gravity Challenge, the high jump event he founded, which has developed into a World Athletics Continental Tour meeting. The project has expanded internationally, with editions held in Doha, Europe and beyond, and continues to grow in scale and ambition.
For Barshim, the goal is to create more than just a competition.
“I want to create that platform for everybody,” he said.
He also highlighted a broader issue in athletics which is that even elite athletes outside the very top rankings can struggle financially and professionally.
“You can be world number five, six or seven in athletics and still have to find a second job,” he noted.
Through his project, he hopes to give athletes more exposure, better opportunities, and a stronger connection to audiences and sponsors.
