With his eyes firmly set on this year's IAAF World Championships, Qatar's high jump star Mutaz Barshim can barely wait for the start of the season's competition on home soil today.
The 25-year-old won the silver medal at last year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and the lanky athlete recently announced his desire to go for the world mark set by Javier Sotomayor when the 2017 World Championships are held in London in August.
A good start at the Diamond League opener at Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium should set the ball rolling for the Qatari track and field star.
"I have been waiting for this week for so long. I can't stay away from the circuit. I can't wait for the season to begin. 'When will it start' is what I have been telling my team," Barshim said during a special media briefing held at City Centre shopping mall yesterday.
"It's a big year for me. The big event (World Championships) comes in August. I am ready. I have already won a competition," Barshim said before adding that he was well prepared for the home event.
"I am comfortable with the way I have jumped so far. The coach is happy with it. I am ready to go. I will do my best. Hopefully it will be a good start to the 2017 campaign," he added.
"There are familiar faces for the first round. Over here I have support of my family and friends. They motivate me," the star Olympian added.
Barshim said he had recovered '95 percent' from his lower back stress fracture.
"I can't say I have 100 percent recovered from that back injury I had. It's a stress back in my lower back. Once that happens, you have to be careful. I think I am 95 percent recovered," he said.
"I just have to practice more and build more muscle around that area and I have to keep moving. Since I am feeling better, I know what I need to do.
"My coach has special programmes for me for my lower back. I am not going to do too much as too much is not good. I have to do it as much as I have to," he explained.
"I don't think I am going to change my schedule. I try and keep things simple. I changed the run-ups a little. You see I run half a course. It's too much pressure when I jump full course. I think I am back. I am ready for full course," he said.
When asked about his specially-made designer hat, a boyish-looking Barshim said the idea popped up when he was wandering the Times Square in New York in 2014.
"It came to my mind that I need to motivate myself. I was walking around the Times Square in New York in 2014. I couldn't sleep so I was up and just having fun," Barshim recalled.
"I saw this design. I liked it. I had one made for myself. I thought that would act as a motivation for me. That's how it started. It worked out great. I teamed up with my sponsors Nike and they made it for me," he said.
Barshim had special advice for the Aspire Academy athletes who will be seen in action today during the opening round of the Diamond League leg.
"I just want to tell the young kids at Aspire Academy to enjoy, try to learn and everything will be fine.
"They should motivate themselves. I was there 5-6 years ago. This is my team. They have to just focus on their job, on their profession. That matters the most," Barshim said.
"You've got to do your best and earn your stripes. I think there will be more excitement this year because of these kids," he said.
