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Barshim takes a trip down the memory lane

In the podcast, the ace Qatari, who won the yellow metal at the London Worlds how he first became involved with the sport.

By Sajith
Mutaz Essa Barshim


Bengaluru/Doha, January 31: World high jump champion Mutaz Essa Barshim took a trip down the memory lane in the International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) first episode of the Inside Athletics Podcast, which was released to mark the 30-day countdown of the World Indoor Championships.

In the podcast, the ace Qatari, who won the yellow metal at the London Worlds by clearing a height of 2.35M, and was adjudged the IAAF World Male Athlete of the Year, discussed how he first became involved in the sport and what he is looking forward to most in 2018.

The 26-year-old's personal best of 2.43M in the 2014 IAAF Brussels Diamond League meeting is second only to Cuba's Javier Sotomayor's long-standing record of 2.45M set in 1992 and the Red Bull athlete has often spoken about his intention to break it.

"The world record is definitely on my mind. Next summer is a good chance to really focus on it," Barshim said.

He added that pressure only motivates him to do better.

"The only target I have now is the world record. I don't want to put any limits on myself. I'm not in any rush," added Barshim, who was unbeaten in 11 competitions in 2017 and won the IAAF Dianond League crown.

He will start his 2018 season at the 8th Asian Indoor Athletics Championship to be held from February 1 to 3 at the Iranian capital city of Tehran.

Twenty episodes of Podcast are planned for 2018, regular releases published on the last Tuesday of each month, in addition to special editions that will focus specifically on upcoming World Athletics Series events.

Two will also focus on the IAAF Diamond League season and another on the IAAF Athletics Awards 2018 in December.

Among others who featured in the inaugural podcast were Kenya's world 5,000M champion Hellen Obiri and America's world 100M silver medallist Christian Coleman, who have all indicated that the upcoming World Indoor Championships to be held from March 1 to 4 at Birmingham figure prominently in their 2018 plans.

According to preliminary figures, a total of 767 athletes --429 men and 338 women-- from 154 federations will compete, making the 17th edition of the IAAF's second largest competition one of the biggest ever.

In the Podcast, Obiri spoke about the particular challenges she faced while juggling motherhood and life as a professional athlete while Coleman reflected on his breakout 2017 season.

Other athletes who appeared in the first episode include, marathoner Mary Keitany, who spoke about how her children motivated her as her career progressed and Sydney Mclaughlin, the Under-20 world record holder in the 400M hurdles, who discussed among other things pizza toppings!

The podcast can be downloaded via Soundcloud and iTunes.
(With IAAF Media inputs)

Story first published: Friday, February 2, 2018, 11:50 [IST]
Other articles published on Feb 2, 2018