World champion pole vaulter Shawn Barber has died after an unspecified medical issue, the Associated Press reports.
Barber’s death was confirmed by agent Paul Doyle, who told the AP the athlete died at home in Kingwood, Texas, on Wednesday.
The Canadian American pole vaulter had been “experiencing health issues,” according to the AP’s report. A cause of death was not disclosed.
“More than just an incredible athlete, Shawn was such a good-hearted person that always put others ahead of himself,” Doyle told the AP on Thursday. “It’s tragic to lose such a good person at such a young age.”
Shawn Barber prepares to vault during a 2018 competition in Duesseldorf, Germany. Barber died at age 29 after experiencing health issues.
Lukas Schulze via Getty Images
Born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, but a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, Barber began his run as a track and field star at the University of Akron in Ohio, where he won back-to-back NCAA championships in 2014 and 2015.
In 2015, he took gold at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing. The next year, he made the finals of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro as a member of Team Canada.
Barber’s best vault was 6.00 meters, which stands as Canada’s all-time record for indoor men’s pole vaulting.
The athlete announced he was “Gay and proud” in an April 2017 post on Facebook, where he thanked his family and friends for their support.
The summer after he came out, Barber told the Toronto Star, “Life is ups and downs, pole vault is ups and downs, and I’m just along for the ride … and I’m enjoying every minute of it.”
He is survived by his mother Ann Barber, father George Barber and brother David.
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