(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Chinthana Wasala |The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Mutaz Barshim yesterday had a double delight as his brainchild What Gravity Challenge“finally saw the light”, with the victory after his season's best jump adding the joy for Qatar's high jump superstar at the Katara Amphitheatre.
The unique event contested among the elite athletes showcased top quality action as Barshim entertained the home fans clearing 2.31m, bettering his previous season's best at the Yangtze Delta Athletics Diamond Gala in Suzhou, 12 days ago, by two centimeters.
“To be honest, I am very happy. Today, the Gravity Challenge finally saw the light, after it was an idea on paper. I am very happy about winning the first edition in Doha. I thank all the sponsors and supporters,” Barshim, who came up with the idea of the grand high jump gala many years ago, said after his latest win.
Mutaz Barshim competes during the event.
“I thank the fans who came here to witness the event and would like to present this victory to them. Our idea is that we will continue to host this tournament. This is just the first stop,” Barshim said after receiving the unique award, designed by local artist Ahmed Al Bahrani, along with a prize of $15,000 from the Second Vice President of Qatar Olympic Committee Dr Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari.
The reigning Olympic and World champion Barshim cleared 2.28 and 2.31 in his first attempts but failed to go beyond the 2.33 mark in all three attempts.
South Korea's Asian Champion Sanghyeok Woo also failed to do the same but had earlier cleared 2.28 in his second attempt, before clearing the 2.31 mark in his third, thus finishing second in the star-studded event.
Meanwhile, USA's World Championships silver medallist JuVaughn Harrison's contest ended at 2.31, when he failed all three attempts. He had cleared the 2.28 in his third try to finish third.
New Zealand's Hamish Kerr, the reigning World Indoor champion, jumped 2.25 meters to secure a fourth-place finish, while Donald Thomas of the Bahamas completed the top five with a season's best of 2.21.
Qatar Athletics Federation President Mohammed Issa Al Fadala poses with the athletes who finished from fourth to 12th positions.
Puerto Rican Central American champion Luis Castro Rivera made a jump of 2.21 meters, securing the sixth position. Similarly, Italy's Marco Fassinotti, who joined the event as a late replacement for his fellow countryman Gianmarco Tamberi, also cleared the same height.
Former world champion Bohdan Bondarenko and his Ukranian compatriot Andrii Protsenko both registered 2.17 metres, while Japan's Naoto Tobe also cleared the same height, his season's best.
China's Zhen Wang (2.13) and Australia's Commonwealth Games champion Brandon Starc completed the list.
The historic event was organised with the support of the Qatar Olympic Committee and the Qatar Athletics Federation.
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