Qatari high jump icon Mutaz Essa Barshim says he is getting experienced with the time and the world record of Cuban legend Javier Sotomayor is just a 'matter of time.'
Talking ahead of the season-opening Diamond League, to be held at the Qatar Sports Club on Friday, Barshim said in a press conference at the City Center Mall:"It's definitely a goal or target me. When I wake up every morning and go to training, I keep thinking about it.
"Just as Thomas (Rohler, the German Olympic javelin throw champion) mentioned, the question is when and where. That is the way for me to go forward. There is no backing out for me. I have achieved so much in my life now and I need to get that record to top all my achievements and feel satisfied with my career," the Qatari said.
"That is just a matter of time."
Barshim had an opportunity to beat Sotomayor's 2.45m record, set in Salamanca, Spain on July 27, 1993. However, he missed it by merely two centimetres.
In 2014, Bohdan Bondarenko and Barshim were locked in a gripping battle in the Diamond League finale at Brussels. The Ukrainian was ahead on countback when both cleared 2.40m. Barshim soared over 2.43m to wild cheers of the appreciative crowd off his first try and gained the lead after while Bondarenko failed.
The bar was now set at world record height 2.46m if Bondareko had to win and go ahead of Barshim. The Qatari lifted well in all his three attempts but could not swing back his body over the bar. Bondareko also missed his two attempts had to settle for the second place, leaving Barshim as the second highest jumper in the event history and with the Diamond League trophy (the first of his three).
Barshim commented on the thrilling battle with Bondarenko and his victory then:"In a competition like today, you don't have the world record on your mind. You just want to win, you want to beat your opponent; you don't mention what the height is. ... Now I'm the prince of the high jump and I'm on the right way to becoming the king. I just need more experience and a crowd like today to beat Sotomayor's world record."
In fact, the whole world, including Sotomayor, is now watching Barshim with expectations to set the new benchmark.
"After I had a great time and won everything last season (world title in London, Diamond League trophy and World's Best Male Athlete Award), I was talking to my coach about this season.
"We have no big championship this season and we need something to motivate me. With time, I'm getting the experience of performing in all the conditions. So I'll focus on the Diamond League and try to go after records in every meet that I enter. That is my main objective this season," he said.
Barshim, whose other big goals are the gold medals at the Doha worlds next year and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is delighted that he is being looked at as a role model or inspiration for the Qatari people.
"I'm a sportsperson. It's a duty for me because I'm now becoming an ambassador for the sport. When I'm talking about sport, it's not professional sport but sport as a lifestyle. You have to add sport to your lifestyle.
"I've been participating in a lot of programmes with the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and with health departments. We do so much exercising touring and guiding and it's been working out really well. We are really moving forward with that."
"Definitely, three, four or five years ago at the stadium, it was just people doing the sport. You see now that you're inspiring people. I have many families coming even to my house, asking to go to the stadium with me.
"I see the changes coming. Sometimes it maybe needs time, but it's coming, definitely," he added.
Barshim is leading an 11-member Qatar squad in the Doha leg. Other two local athletes to watch are world 400m bronze medallist Abdalelah Haroun and 400m hurdler Abderrahman Samba.
The young Samba had created a big buzz last year when he defeated Olympic champion Kerron Clement from the US in the non-Diamond League event here. Both are here again, along with world silver medallist Yasmani Copello. It will be interesting to see how current world leader Samba responds to the challenges this time.
By Raajiv Tripathi
