Barshim recounts his inspirational story at QOC forum

The Qatari Olympic and world champion Mutaz Essa Barshim delivered a fruitful lecture titled “Sky the limit: Success Story of Mutaz Barshim” during an educational forum “Hour of Knowledge Transfer” organised by the Human Resources and Administrative Affairs Department of the QOC at the Lusail Hall on Wednesday.
The forum highlighted his extraordinary athletic career, marked by numerous achievements and titles, and offered insights into his strategies for overcoming challenges.
As the keynote speaker, Barshim reflected on the early stages of his career, beginning with Al Rayyan Club and his participation in school-level competitions spanning various athletics disciplines, including long jump, high jump, hurdles, and both short- and long-distance races. He described his eventual specialisation in high jump and his academic journey, which included primary and preparatory education as well as his time at the Aspire Academy.
Barshim recounted his rise as a promising Qatari high jump athlete in 2009 under the mentorship of coach Stanisław “Stanley” Szczyrba. He emphasised the vital role of his relationship with the coach and his commitment to three core principles of success: sacrifice, discipline, and perseverance.
Barshim also detailed the defining moments, challenges, and victories of his career, which include silver medals at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics, a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Additionally, Barshim shared his experiences dealing with media pressure, the intensity of large crowds, and the competitive atmosphere of major events. He described how he turned these challenges into positive energy by maintaining a clear focus on his goals of excellence and achievement.
The forum was attended by the QOC Director of Sports Sector Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid al-Thani, Director of the QOC Support Services Sector Eng Hamad Lahdan al-Mohannadi, Mohammed Issa al-Fadala, the president of Qatar Athletics Federation and Directors of Departments, Heads of QOC’s sections, units and employees alongside staff from sport federations and committees.
At the conclusion of the forum, the QOC Director of Sports Sector Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid al-Thani, honoured the Qatari champion with a shield of appreciation for his remarkable contributions to Qatari sports on both international and Olympic stages.