Looking Back at the Heights Scaled by Shawn Barber as the World Mourns the Olympian’s Untimely Demise

The amazing realm of sports sees several athletes reach and maintain peak performances in their athletic careers. It also witnesses the filing of several new talents with every passing year. However, seeing a new entrant displaying globe-usurping talents is a rare sight. A sight that the world was bestowed with when Canadian pole vaulter Shawn Barber arrived.

The young two-time NCAA champion had become an instant hit when he started his international career. However, while he still had a lot to give to the sport of pole vaulting, he unfortunately lost his life at the young age of 29. Here is a glance at the various feats accomplished by the Olympian in his short, yet explosive career.

Shawn Barber and his breakout year in 2015

Pole vaulting superstar Shawn Barber was of Canadian-American heritage and constantly traveled to and fro between both nations. However, Barber soon replaced this horizontal travel with phenomenal vertical leaps with the pole. Playing for the University of Akron, Barber had reached an international level standard back in 2013.

But he still needed more work on his technique and his overall output. Improving these aspects. Shawn Barber won back-to-back NCAA titles in both 2014 and 2015. Moreover, he also made a breathtaking arrival at the 2015 World Championship in Beijing by causing an upset against the then-reigning world champ, Raphael Holzdeppe.

On top of it, he even upset the record-holding pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie to clinch the 2015 World Championship gold. 2015 was truly a breakout year for Shawn Barber. He even won the gold at the Pan Am Games in 2015. 

Slowly ebbing out of the picture due to health

Shawn Barber wasn’t just a one-time superstar who just had one great year. Right after his world championship gold, Barber also crashed at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Although he didn’t clinch a medal in the event, he improved further and won more championships. The world champ went on to win the silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, adding to his list.

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Shawn Barber is also Canada’s national rank-holder, with his personal best touching 5.91 meters. He is also one of the first people surpassed by current pole vaulting king Mondo Duplantis in his journey. Many were surprised to not see Shawn Barber challenge the current world record holder and reigning Olympic champ. But, now that he has passed away, it is clearer that his health was holding him back. While he is no longer alive, his achievements will always bear a permanent mark in this world.

ALSO READ – “RIP My Friend”: Mondo Duplantis Joins the World to Mourn the Untimely Loss of Olympian Pole Vaulter Shawn Barber