British Pole Vaulter Shawn Barber Passes Away at Age 29
Mondo Duplantis, a fellow athlete and friend, expressed his heartfelt grief following the untimely demise of Canadian pole vaulter Shawn Barber. Barber, a former world champion, passed away on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at his home in Kingwood, Texas. He was only 29 years old. Although the cause of his death is currently unknown, it has been reported that he had been facing a health issue.
The news of Barber’s passing was conveyed by his agent, Paul Doyle. Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion Mondo Duplantis conveyed his deep sorrow and heartfelt condolences, referring to Barber as a friend. “RIP my friend,” Duplantis wrote on social media, accompanied by a screenshot of a touching Instagram story.
Barber made his Olympic debut at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Despite not winning the gold, he earned his spot in the finals and even cleared the impressive 5.50m mark before Thiago Braz of Brazil took the victory home.
One of Barber’s notable achievements was setting the Canadian national record with a jump of 5.93 meters on July 25, 2015. This record still stands unbroken. Additionally, he held the NCAA collegiate record after registering a jump of 5.91m. Barber was a member of the University of Akron’s track and field team, where he won the NCAA Championship title three times.
Shawn Barber’s accomplishments extended beyond the Olympics. He secured a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, by clearing the 5.45m mark. However, he was surpassed by English duo Steven Lewis and Luke Cutts, who cleared the 5.55m mark.
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, Barber secured a silver medal by surpassing Cutts. He cleared the 5.65m mark, while the English athlete could only manage 5.45m. The gold medal went to Kurtis Marschall of Australia, who cleared the 5.70m mark.
Barber’s outstanding performance continued at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China. He secured a gold medal after defeating Germany’s Raphael Holzdeppe. Both pole vault athletes cleared the impressive 5.90m mark. Renaud Lavillenie, Piotr LiseK, and Paweł Wojciechowski had to settle for third place.
Before the 2016 Olympic Games, Barber faced a setback when he tested positive for traces of cocaine. Although he avoided suspension, he received a four-year ban and was stripped of his 2016 national title.
The passing of Shawn Barber is a significant loss for the world of athletics. His achievements and talent will be remembered, and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations of pole vaulters. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family, friends, and the entire sporting community during this difficult time..
