Barshim gears up for long season ahead

After making 2017 all his own with his trailblazing exploits, Qatar’s world-beating high jumper Mutaz Barshim is gearing up for another year of dominance when the prestigious Diamond League series kicks off in Doha on May 4.The 14-leg series will take elite track and field athletes across Asia, Europe, the US and Africa over a four-month period culminating with the final event in Brussels on August 31.This being a non-Olympic and non-World Championships year, the planet’s best athletes will turn their entire focus to the Diamond League competitions with the ultimate goal of winning the season-ending IAAF Diamond League Champions prize.Athletes earn points in the first 12 meetings in the road to the final. At the two final meetings, held in Zurich and Brussels on consecutive days, $100,000 will be at stake in each of the 32 Diamond disciplines, including $50,000 for each winner.“We have a long and hard season ahead starting with the Diamond League meeting in Doha and I am preparing hard for it,” Barshim told Gulf Times on the sidelines of the Esrar Race 2018 held at Aspire Park over the weekend.Barshim took part in the race as an honorary ambassador as he encouraged participants to support the event and lead a physically active life.“Starting the season with a win in front of the home fans is always a great feeling and I hope to do it again this year,” the reigning world champion added.Last year, Barshim kick-started the season with a winning leap of 2.36 metres, which he cleared with his first attempt.He then went on to win sweep the high jump in all competitions he took part in, and in August etched his name in history by becoming the first Qatari to win the gold at the outdoor IAAF World Championships in London with a jump of 2.35 metres.With the 2019 IAAF World Championships to be hosted by Qatar, Barshim is quite enthusiastic about retaining his world title.“We are working towards it. After this season is done with we will put together a plan for 2019,” he added.Barshim’s best is 2.43 metres, which is the second-highest leap in history after after Cuban Javier Sotomayor’s 2.45m set 25 years.Barshim has also won the world indoor title and a bronze and silver at the Olympics besides several medals at the Asian level.The 2018 Diamond League meetings will be staged in Doha, Shanghai, Eugene, Rome, Oslo, Stockholm, Paris, Lausanne, Rabat, Monaco, London, Birmingham, Zurich and Brussels.