2017 was the year Barshim really stole the bar
Back in 2014 Barshim was jumping over 2.43 metres and the crowd in Brussels going crazy. It was the end of a great year for high jump, with five different athletes jumping over the bar at 2.40m. In Zurich(24th August), 2.36 metres jump was enough to get him the Diamond trophy. The Gold at the London world championships and the trophy in the Diamond League final, to which he adds the Birmingham diamond league - that gave him once again the prestigious height of 2.40 - are a deserved recognition of Mutaz's performances through the years.
Even though he had never achieved the feat of an outdoor global championships gold, he has been jumping 2.40 or higher since 2013, this is, for the last 5 consecutive years. Through all these years he was the world leader, with the exception of 2013, when Bondarenko edged him by 1 cm.
It delights me to see the Qatari finally having a truly profitable season after watching him lose so many finals!
I leave you with a photo posted by Gianmarco Tamberi (sadly, he had an unfortunate season) that brings together the jumpers of the year. He writes in it "My family" and I really enjoy staring at this group of athletes as such. I look forward to seeing them compete together next year and I hope that a year as good as 2014 may come sooner that expected.
[Photo: AFP Photo/Emmanuel Dunand & Gianmarco Tamberi]
