Barshim lives up to his top billing in Birmingham

Bengaluru, August 21: Star high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim continued from where he left off at London World Championship as he won the IAAF Birmingham Diamond League gold with a world leading and meet record leap of 2.40M.

Coming to the Muller Grand Prix in Birmingham as the hot favourite, the ace Qatari lived up to his top billing with an excellent performance.

Barshim heads strong field in Birmingham

Having jumped that landmark height each season since 2013, Barshim now becomes the first man in history to clear 2.40 or higher for five consecutive years. His winning jump was also the first 2.40 leap on British soil since 2000.

Mutaz Essa Barshim clears 2.40m in Birmingham!

✅ Meeting record
✅ World-leading mark#BirminghamDL#RoadToTheFinal pic.twitter.com/mICkqjB3cX

— IAAF Diamond League (@Diamond_League) August 20, 2017

The Birmingham win consolidated the Diamond League lead for the two-time Olympic medallist as Barshim went 17 points clear of British opponent Robbie Grabarz with a tally of 40 points from six meetings.

For Barshim, Birmingham has now become more of a happy hunting ground as it was here that he set the meet record in 2014 and had also won last year.

"I knew I had that jump in me but I needed that pressure on my shoulders," said the 26-year-old.

"It was a strong competition which really tested me and that made me perform at my best. I love it here; I had the meeting record here from 2014 and I also won in Birmingham last year so it is a lucky place for me.

"I can jump as high as possible," he added. "I don't want to put any limits on myself. 2.40M was great today and I didn't want to push it too much a risk injury so I was just sensible."

After celebrating his winning jump, he walked back up to the uprights, picked up the crossbar and walked back to the bench. "Seriously, I'm taking this home with me," he was quoted as saying in the IAAF website.

Barshim's personal best of 2.43M at the 2014 Brussels Diamond League meeting is the second-best jump in world history behind Cuba's Javier Sotomayor's long-standing record of 2.45 set in 1992.

Barshim said the world record is still on his radar.

"I am really happy with this height," grinned Barshim. "I am pushing for the world record and really want it. I'm taking that bar home. I am going to store it somewhere and no one else is going to have it."