Mutaz Essa Barshim
Pride
Mutaz means proud in Arabic. And Qatar has every reason to be proud of its native son, Mutaz Essa Barshim, who is now acknowledged to be one of today’s greatest athletes, the crown prince of the high jump.
Placing the bar high
Ever higher, ever lighter was the mantra that guided gold-medalist high-jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim, who propelled himself a dizzying 2.43 metres into the air in Rio, reaching for every extra centimetre. The high jump was obviously about space, but, as Mutaz explained, time was another dimension that proved all-important when he stood at the pinnacle of the sport.
It was during the 2016 Olympics in Rio that Mutaz met Richard Mille, who had been following the competition closely. And it was at this very moment that the RM 67-02 was conceived. ‘We talked specifically about something extremely light and flexible, very flat, something that would not affect my concentration during a jump. It has been a great help to me during the challenges I faced in reaching the World Championships and other big venues across the globe.
‘Time is a very big thing in my profession as a high jumper, because only a few hundredths of a second in timing and approach can make a huge difference between a good, bad or fantastic jump. That’s not everything, though, it’s also about pace as you get closer to the bar.’
Broken records
A native of Qatar, Mutaz’s track‑and‑field accomplishments have broken records both at home and abroad. He holds the national and Asian records with his 2.43‑metre jump. In 2021, Barshim won the Olympic gold medal in the high jump at the Summer Olympics — Qatar’s first-ever Olympic gold in athletics. In 2022, he secured his third consecutive world championship gold at the World Athletics Championships.
After 2022, Barshim remained competitive: in 2023, he claimed a bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. He then competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris — clearing 2.34 m to win the bronze medal, becoming the first high jumper ever to win medals at four different Olympic Games. Now retired, Barshim leaves behind a remarkable legacy, inspiring athletes across Qatar and around the world with his extraordinary talent and dedication.
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