Qatari high jump icon Mutaz Essa Barshim made history at the Rio Games yesterday by winning the first ever Olympic silver medal for his country. Barshim, after smoothly clearing 2.36m, tried to clear 2.38m that could have given him to have a shot at the gold but failed in all his three attempts. The silver is nevertheless a creditable finish, after his bronze in the same event four years ago in London. It is the best ever result by a Qatari sportsman or women in the history of the Olympics. In London 2012, the Qatari took bronze with a jump of 2.29m. He also won the gold at the 2014 World Indoor Championships with a leap of 2.38m. His personal best outdoors stands at 2.43m, which he achieved at the Brussels Diamond League meet in 2014.