Shawn Barber, World Champion Pole Vaulter, Dies at Age 29

Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVJanuary 19, 2024

Christian Petersen/Getty Images for IAAF

Canadian pole vaulter Shawn Barber died Wednesday due to medical complications, according to the Associated Press. He was 29.

“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 AP on Thursday. “It’s tragic to lose such a good person at such a young age.”

“I can also say that since the news has hit I’ve been hearing from people from all around the globe offering condolences and sharing fond memories of Shawn,” Doyle continued. “He was a great guy and will be really missed by a lot of people all over the world.”

Athletics Canada @AthleticsCanadaOur thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Shawn Barber, Canadian Pole Vaulter – 2015 World Champion, Rio 2016 Olympian and Canadian Record Holder. pic.twitter.com/Mn7DcVKgqy

Devin Heroux @Devin_HerouxWrote about 🇨🇦 pole vaulter Shawn Barber a number of times — about when he came out publicly in 2017 in the wake of his world championship win a couple years earlier.

“Gay and proud!” he wrote in a post. There was joy. And excitement for what was ahead.

Gone way too young.

A cause of death has not yet been made public, though Barber reportedly had been battling health issues.

He won gold medals at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing and the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto. He made one appearance at the Olympics, at the 2016 Rio Games, finishing 10th.

His best vault of six meters (19 feet, 8.25 inches) came at the Pole Vault Summit in Reno, a mark that remains the Canadian record.

He attended the University of Akron during his college days, winning the NCAA indoor championships in both 2014 and 2015 and the outdoor title in 2015.

“One of the best pole vaulters in the world, Shawn Barber, passed away today,” Polish pole vaulter Piotr Lisek said, per BBC Sport. “We had the opportunity to host him on Polish soil many times, and he showed his heart many times with incredible cheerfulness.”