‘High jump is a self-defeating sport: You always lose, whether to your competitor or the bar, unless you stop’

Qatari high-jumper Mutaz Barshim (not in pic) will face a tough challenge from Olympic champion Ivan Ukhov of Russia (left), Erik Kynard of US (centre) and Derek Drouin of Canada at the Diamond League today. Picture: Jayaram

By Mikhil Bhat/Doha

Qatar’s big medal hope and ace high-jumper Mutaz Barshim says these are good times for the sport. “There are three to four jumpers at 2.40 levels. World record (2.45 by Cuba’s Javier Sotomayor in 1993) could be broken any time this summer. It will take a lot, good weather, good conditions, crowd support, but it’s anytime now,” he says ahead of today’s IAAF Diamond League season-opener in Doha.

Barshim’s statement only adds more hype to the event which has seen Sotomayor’s Salamanca effort stay at the top for over two decades now.

And yet, the current crop of world’s top high-jumpers finds the mark a psychological challenge.

“I think it is more psychological than physical,” says American Erik Kynard, who jumped 2.33m for a silver in London. The 23-year-old also adds perspective to the event.

“It is a very tough record. Those centimetres may look small and minute, but it’s huge. It is a self-defeating event,” Kynard goes on as his Canadian rival, Derek Drouin, listens to the conversation intently.

“There is no race to the finish line. It is very discouraging to be in a competition and knock the bar down.

“Very discouraging to have one attempt left. Shows great passion and courage to miss the bar twice and still clear it and move on.

“As far as expectations are concerned, we can have some ridiculous expectations because it is a very cool event in terms of mental capacity.”

Then comes the clincher: “You always lose, whether to your competitor or the bar, unless you stop! Squeezing every centimetre out of your body is more than just difficult at this level.”

Drouin says he has become a better student of his sport in the last year or so. “I help out with coaching in my school. I have been forced to become a better student so that I can pass on information. I have now definitely more information on the biomechanics and science of the sport.”

Kynard, meanwhile, favours taking your own approach to maximise performance. “As far as learning more from the high-jumpers of old, I think it is like racing cars. Everyone is trying to go around the race track, but the approach is different for different drivers and jockeys. That is what makes it unique. I think we all do what we feel works best for us.”

Even as the athletes themselves understand the intricacies, for journalists, the two high-jumpers along with Russian rival and Olympic champion Ivan Ukhov prove to be a goldmine of information.

Ukhov’s tendencies to gain weight in off-season and losing it by the time competitions arrive sets off conversations on ideal weight for the event.

“I weighed 103 kgs in winter and now am at 95kgs. But it really doesn’t matter,” Ukhov says, keeping his preparation and target plans close to his chest throughout the conversation.

“For me weight doesn’t matter,” Kynard adds. “Only body fat. I am 8 percent body fat. It is all about the muscle. You can only use your muscles. Fat is useless, dead weight. I was 20 years old in Daegu, 21 in London and 23 right now. I am only getting older. So I have had to focus on diet too.”

“My weight doesn’t fluctuate much. I haven’t played around with it too much,” adds Drouin.

Exercise regimes that build upper body muscle are ignored, because again, they are dead weight.

“I stopped bench-pressing a few years ago. I was getting too much muscle. At the time, I thought I should go back to football,” Kynard laughs.

Ukhov talks about his rivalry with local hero Barshim, who beat the Russian in Sopot.

“I believe Mutaz is a great athlete. He is very talented and I think of him as one of the best high-jumpers of all time,” he says through a translator.

There are talks about this year’s performances and Ukrainian athlete Bohdan Bondarenko before Ukhov leaves in a huff, miffed by a seemingly harmless question about whether he has moved on from the attention a 2008 video purportedly showing him in an inebriated state ahead of a jump in Lausanne brought him.

While Ukhov has the year’s best 2.42m to show for, Drouin jumped 2.40 in the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, earlier this year.

“It came as a surprise. I skipped indoors (in Sopot) because of injury. I was happy with the recovery. I felt good on the day.

“I wish I had a more low key meet to test the waters in but I think the competitiveness of the meet helped me. I am definitely more confident now,” the Canadian 24-year-old says. Game on.