Gay Olympian and world champion pole vaulter, Shawn Barber, has tragically passed away. The 29-year-old died at his home in Texas on Wednesday, January 17, having suffered from health issues before succumbing to medical complications.
During his time at the University of Akron, Barber earned three NCAA titles for pole valuting. In 2015, he won the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, and the Pan American Games. He competed in the Rio De Janeiro Olympics in 2016, where he finished in 10th place, and at the AIT International Grand Prix in Athlone the same year where he smashed the stadium’s record. Additionally, Barber currently holds the Canadian record for longest volt with his personal best of 6.00m.
#Throwback to Shawn Barber’s ?? 5.90m clearance at the 2015 World Championships to secure him the gold medal ❤️
Once a champion, always a champion. RIP ? pic.twitter.com/J8Qem6gOOP
— Owen M (@_OwenM_) January 18, 2024
The athlete came out as gay in 2017, through a message posted on Facebook.
“Gay and proud! Thank you to my parents for being such a great support. I continue to grow as a person and have a great support group,” he wrote.
Tributes have poured in in response to the tragic news of Barber’s death.
Keep flying, Shawn ✨
World Athletics is deeply saddened by the passing of Shawn Barber, the 2015 world pole vault champion.
Condolences go out to his family, friends and fellow vaulters. pic.twitter.com/mVMLsJ68iC
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) January 19, 2024
“More than just an incredible athlete, Shawn was such a good-hearted person that always put others ahead of himself,” his agent, Paul Doyle, told the Associated Press. “It’s tragic to lose such a good person at such a young age.”
Doyle Management Group described Barber as “A friend that will never be forgotten”.
His alma mater, the Univesity of Akron, said he was a “well-liked teammate and competitor” who “enjoyed a distinguished collegiate career”.
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Fellow Canadian pole vaulter Alysha Newman mourned her teammate and friend in a heartfelt Instagram post which read, “To many, Shawn is known as one of the greatest male Pole Vaulters of all-time but to me, Shawn changed the way I lived life.
“With Shawn around there was never a bad day. With him, heaviness was lightened, tears turned into laughter and every bad jump day, he had two drinks in-hand to help pass defeat,” she continued.
“These weren’t even the best parts of Shawn. Shawn was so selfless. He would go above and beyond to make sure everyone around him was good before he was. He never missed a ‘thank you’ or a gesture to show people how thankful he was for their help.”
Newman concluded, “Today I am sad but tomorrow I’ll be thankful for the love, the advice and adventures we had because that is what Shawn would have wanted. He would want us to remember all the amazing times he impacted your life and remind us all that there is always more to life”.
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Shawn Barber is survived by his mother Ann, father George and brother David.
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