View gallery
Shawn Barber, a former Olympic pole vaulter and gold medalist at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, died on January 17, 2024, at his house in Kingwood, Texas at age 29. According to the Associated Press. Shawn’s agent, Paul Doyle, confirmed the information the next day, On January 18. No reason for loss of life has been launched, however the information group reported that the athlete had been experiencing unspecified “health issues” and died from “medical complications.”
“More than just an incredible athlete, Shawn was such a good-hearted person that always put others ahead of himself,” Paul mentioned in a press release. “It’s tragic to lose such a good person at such a young age.”
Amid the information, right here’s what to know in regards to the lifetime of the exceptional younger athlete.
Shawn Was Canadian
Shawn was born in 1994 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, however his father was from Ontario, Canada. Growing up after his dad and mom’ divorce, Shawn frolicked in each Toronto and the U.S. Despite graduating from highschool in Houston, Texas, the athlete claimed Toronto as his hometown throughout aggressive observe and area occasions.
He additionally competed for Canada all through his profession, saying it was as a result of the nation positioned extra significance on his chosen sport — and since his father, George Barber, competed within the pole vault for Canada at the 1983 World Championships.
Shawn held twin Canadian-American citizenship, and he’s additionally survived by his mom, Ann, and brother, David.
He Had a Unique Name
Though within the media he was often known as merely Shawn Barber, the gifted pole vaulter was really born Shawnacy Campbell Barber.
He Was a Champion in College
Shawn attended University of Akron in Ohio, the place he clinched back-to-back NCAA indoor championships in 2014 and 2015 for the pole vault. In 2015, he doubled down on his success with an NCAA outside championship, as effectively. He’d make 2015 a banner 12 months by rising triumphant with the gold at the Pan-Am Games that summer season.
Shawn is a Canadian Record Holder
He achieved his profession pinnacle with a prime vault of six meters (19 toes, 8 ¼ inches) on January 15, 2016, in Reno, Nevada. The mark was a report, and it stays the Canadian report to at the present time. Shawnacy competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, and positioned tenth, regardless of opposed climate circumstances.
Shawn Came Out in 2017
On April 24, 2017, Shawn took to Facebook to publicly come out as homosexual in a since-removed publish. “Gay and proud!” he wrote through the social media platform, per Outsports. “Thank you to my parents for being such a great support. I continue to grow as a person and have a great support group. My parents are my greatest support and have helped me through a lot recently. To my friends, you are always my friends and i love you too!”
(*29*)
Discussion about this post