He won the world title in 2015 in Beijing by clearing a bar of 5.90 m and won his other major international crown the same year at the Pan American Games in Toronto. Canadian Shawn Barber, former world pole vault champion, died at the age of 29 at his home in Texas.
It was through a message posted on Instagram that Paul Doyle, his agent, announced Thursday January 18 the death of the Canadian pole vaulter, without giving details on the circumstances of his death. “A friend we will never forget. Canadian Olympic pole vaulter Shawn Barber dies »his agent wrote on the Doyle Management page.
Shawn Barber is still the Canadian record holder indoors at 6 meters and outdoors at 5.93 m. “Shawn was also an Olympic finalist at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro. We will miss him very much”added Paul Doyle.
The pole vaulter who had dual American and Canadian nationality surprised everyone by winning world gold in 2015 at just 21 years old ahead of the German Raphael Holzdeppe, and the favorite, the Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie. “I can’t believe you’re gone, Shawn. Rest in peace my friend”reacted the French champion on Instagram shortly after the announcement, adding that the “pole vault family has lost an extraordinary person”.
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