Qatar.. Olympic champion Mutaz Barshim, who shared the gold medal, now aspires to “everything”

Mutaz Barshim's name has been etched in the history of sports as a symbol of dedication and selflessness, but as the Qatari high jump champion considers the possibility of making one last attempt at the Olympic Games, he wants to make one thing absolutely clear: he is "infinitely ambitious" or "greedy" as he puts it. The Qatari athlete made international headlines during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which were held in August 2021, when he expressed his happiness at sharing the gold medal with Italian Gianmarco Tamperi. Together, they embodied the spirit of the Olympic Games by agreeing not to go through a playoff round to determine the winner.

Although Barshim, 35, has not confirmed whether he will participate in the Los Angeles Olympics in two years - which may be his fifth and final participation - he admitted to Bijan Hosseini, a correspondent for the Ufok News network, that he has great ambitions regarding his sporting legacy. “I'm very ambitious (or 'greedy') about how I want to be remembered; I want it all,” Barshim said.

He added: "For this reason, if you visit my house today, you will not find anything; no cups, no medals, nothing. I do not want to feel satisfied (or completely satisfied with achievements), but rather I want to continue as much as possible."

With four Olympic medals and three World Championship titles, Barshim is considered one of the most decorated high jumpers in history, but this success was not achieved without sacrifices. He won the silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics despite suffering a stress fracture in his back a few months before the competition. It is a determination that Barshim believes embodies the true meaning of a hero.

“Many people want to achieve their goals, but they do not want to make enough sacrifices, and they do not have patience; they seek quick results,” Barshim says. He continues: "What people see is just the tip of the iceberg, while there is so much going on in the shadows; so much blood, sweat and tears that are being expended every day, up until this moment."