Canadian pole vault record holder and world champion, Shawn Barber, passed away on Wednesday (17) at the age of 29, after facing medical complications. Although the cause of death has not been clarified, the athlete had been dealing with health problems.
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On Thursday, Paul Doyle, Shawn’s agent, expressed: “More than just an outstanding athlete, Shawn was a generous-hearted person who always prioritized others before himself. It’s tragic to lose someone so good at such a young age.”
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Barber excelled in pole vaulting for the University of Akron, winning back-to-back NCAA championships in 2014 and 2015. In addition, he won the NCAA outdoor crown in 2015, followed by winning gold at the Pan American Games the same year. At the World Cup in Beijing, China, in 2015, he overcame German Raphael Marcel Holzdeppe to win gold. In 2016, at the Rio Olympics, he reached the final of the event, with the gold medal being won by Brazilian Thiago Braz.
Barber’s peak occurred on January 15, 2016, in Reno, Nevada, when he reached the 6-meter mark in the jump, also setting the Canadian record. He leaves behind his mother, Ann, his father, Jorge, and his brother, David.
