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Mutaz Barshim to miss World Track and Field Championships due to injury

Mutaz Barshim withdrew before the World Track and Field Championships due to a foot injury, missing the chance to compete in the Tokyo stadium where he memorably shared Olympic high jump gold in 2021.

Barshim, a 34-year-old with four Olympic medals, posted that he hoped to make the meet that starts Saturday his last World Championships.

“Don’t feel sorry for me not jumping,” was posted on his social media. “Feel sorry for high jumping not having me. I want to start by saying that I’m good. I appreciate the love and support from everyone, but please don’t feel sorry for me. I’ve been battling with a very serious injury since April and the reason why I didn’t make a public statement earlier is because I really have a hard time with people pitying me. I’m a professional athlete and this is just part of my job. So I decided to write this now because I owe it to you all to make it clear and for you to hear it from me. I was planning to make Tokyo my last World Championship but unfortunately my foot hasn’t healed in time. I’ve given it my all, but we can’t force nature and must stay patient to recover.”

Barshim competed once this year, clearing 2.13 meters in Doha on April 10. The world’s top jumpers have cleared 2.30 and higher this season.

In 2024, he became the first person to win a fourth Olympic high jump medal when he earned bronze behind Hamish Kerr of New Zealand and American Shelby McEwen.

At the 2020 Tokyo Games, Barshim memorably agreed to share Olympic gold with Italian Gianmarco Tamberi rather than contest a jump-off after both men were tied.

Barshim also captured silver medals in 2012 and 2016.

He won five medals at the World Championships, including gold in 2017, 2019 and 2022.