Star high jumper Mutaz Barshim was the sole medal winner for Qatar at the 2024 Paris Olympics, clinching a bronze in the high jump to add to the gold he won at Tokyo 2020 and the silvers at Rio 2016 and London 2012.

The 33-year-old had already announced that Paris 2024 would be his last appearance at the Games and hoped to bow out with another gold medal-winning performance – but it was not to be.

Mutaz has inspired many with his outstanding feats and, also, because of his sportsmanship.

At the Tokyo Olympics, after he and his Italian opponent Gianmarco Tamberi had both failed to clear 2.37m, Mutaz asked the referee if they could share the gold. Upon hearing the answer in the affirmative, Gianmarco jumped into Mutaz’s arms in delight before collapsing with relief to the ground.

But, at Paris 2024, while Mutaz was still able to celebrate his departure from Olympic competitions with a podium finish, there was no such joy for the rest of his teammates from the 14-member Qatar squad.

That included 800m runner Aboubakar Abdallah and the trio of Abdulrahman Samba, Bassem Hemeida and Ismail Dawoud, who competed in the men’s 400m hurdles; and female sprinter Shahad Mohammed, making her Olympic debut, who took part in the women’s 100m race.

GO: Visit www.olympic.qa for more information.