A shock wave in the world of athletics.
Shawn Barber, the 2015 Canadian world pole vault champion, died at the age of 29 on Wednesday.
It was Paul Doyle, his agent, who confirmed the terrible information revealed by The San Diego Union Tribune.
“More than just an incredible athlete, Shawn was a kind-hearted person who always put others before himself,” the agent said.
It's tragic to lose such a good person at such a young age.
» The Canadian champion died at his home in Kingwood, Texas.
The cause of his death has not been revealed but Barber suffered from health problems.
Shawn Barber and Renaud Lavillenie, in 2016.
He had beaten Renaud Lavillenie
Barber's career took a 180-degree turn on August 24, 2015 in Beijing during the World Championships.
Thanks to a jump of 5.90 m, he won the gold medal ahead of the German Raphael Marcel Holzdeppe, and the French Renaud Lavillenie.
A month before, Barber had cleared 5.93 m, his outdoor personal best.
On January 15, 2016 indoors, he set his country's record in the pole vault with a jump of 6 m.
Record which still stands today.
That day, he became the 19th athlete to cross 6 m.
Shawn Barber, 2015 World champion pole vaulter, dies at 29 from medical complications https://t.co/WlEvCwNIKN pic.twitter.com/C9EZwCrk1u
— NBC OlympicTalk (@NBCOlympicTalk) January 18, 2024
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, he qualified for the final but settled for 10th place with a modest jump of 5.50 m, very far from the Brazilian Thiago Braz, Olympic champion with a performance of 6.03 m.