TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK

DOHA MUTAZ Essa Barshim got Qatar its second bronze medal of the ongoing Olympic Games in the men’s high jump final at the Olympic Stadium in London on Tuesday.

Shooter Nasser bin Saleh al Attiyah last Tuesday got the first one when he finished in third spot in the men’s skeet final at the Royal Artillery Barracks.

This was Qatar’s fourth bronze in Olympic Games history.

Mohamed Suleiman won the first in athletics in 1992 (Barcelona) and weightlifter Saif Assad the second one in 2000 at the Sydney Games.

“I am so happy that I have won an Olympics medal,” Barshim said. “I have worked so hard for this. It was really tough competition,” Barshim, who jumped 2.37m in February this year at the Asian indoor championships in Hangzhou, added.

The Qatari dedicated the medal to the Emir His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani and the Heir Apparent, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani.

Barshim, 21, produced a slick performance in the first three rounds of the high jump final, clearing 2.20, 2.25 and 2.29 with ease. However, he couldn’t clear the bar when it was raised to 2.33 and had to settle for a bronze.

Russia’s Ivan Ukhov won the gold medal and USA’s Erik Kynard took silver. The longhaired 26-year-old, this year’s top jumper, secured victory with a leap of 2.38 metres ...