TOKYO, Japan, July 30 – Qatari High-Jump star Mutaz Essa Barshim has urged Kenya’s Mathew Sawe to raise the bar higher if he harbours any hopes of making it to the summit of the sport.
Barshim sailed through to the final of the men’s High-Jump in the ongoing Olympics in Tokyo following brilliant displays.
Sawe meanwhile failed to achieve the qualifying performance mark of 2.30, but the Qatari superstar insists he still has the potential.
“Sawe is good. For now, it’s good enough for him to be here and that’s the spirit of the sport. You just have to keep going and believe in yourself. I know Kenyans have the talent but they really have to keep working,” the two-time Olympic silver medalist said.
He added that; “It might take time but definitely it will work out in the long run. I did what the coach wanted so we got in the final and I’m happy about that. The goal was to make it to the final.”
“I love Kenya and would love to visit as soon as I have time” Barshim said with a smile on his face.
Sawe described his participation in the Olympic field event as something to enjoy for a long time.
Royal prerogative — Mutaz Essa Barshim delivers for hosts Qatar and in front of the country’s ruler the Emir
“The Olympic experience is out of this world. I’m glad to be here. I may not have qualified but it feels good to be here. This will surely motivate me to aim for higher limits. But again, the field in Tokyo has the who is who of the sport so it’s a steep learning curve,” Sawe said.
Barshim is the national and Asian record holder with a best mark of 2.43 m. He won a gold medal at the 2017 World Championships in London and at the 2019 edition held in his home turf in Doha.
The Qatari also won silver at the London Olympics in 2012, before repeating the same feat four years later in Rio.
He was the Asian Indoor and World Junior champion in 2010, and won the high jump gold medals at the 2011 Asian Athletics Championships and 2011 Military World Games.
-Alex Isaboke is reporting from Tokyo, Japan
