Canadian pole vaulter Shawn Barber, world pole vault champion at Beijing 2015, died at the age of 29 at his home in Kingwood, Texas. The unfortunate news came this Thursday and until now the causes of his death have not been revealed. Barber was known for his athletics career, where he achieved notable milestones such as winning the world championships with a jump of 5.90 meters (19.36 ft):

The Canadian retired from competition in 2020 and among his most notable achievements include, apart from the 2015 Beijing World Championship, his place at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where he placed tenth with a jump of 5.50 meters (18.04 feet). His performance remained relevant by reaching six meters (19.68 feet) on January 16, 2016 during a competition in Reno. This mark constitutes a peak in his sporting profile, which he will not reproduce again during his career. His achievements also include winning the Diamond League in Zurich, the Pan American Games in Toronto and five NCAA national championships between 2013 and 2018.

“More than just an incredible athlete, Shawn was a person with such a good heart that he always put others before himself.. “It's tragic to lose such a good person at such a young age,” his agent Paul Doyle said in statements to the Associated Press.

According to AP, the young athlete has health problems and medical complications. His representation agency, on his account on the social network Instagram, published a heartfelt message with some images of Shawn accompanied by the following message: “A friend who will never be forgotten. Canadian Olympic pole vaulter Shawn Barber has died. He is currently the Canadian record holder with a personal best of 6.00m and was the world pole vault champion in 2015. Shawn was also an Olympic finalist at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. “We will miss him very much.”

“Barber had become ill and had been suffering from health problems for some time,” said the University of Akron athletics department, which described him as “a beloved teammate and competitor.”

Athletics Canada on its .