The participating high jumpers pose for a photo with junior athletes ahead of the event.
Doha, Qatar: American JuVaughn Harrison produced a world-leading jump of 2.34m to win the inaugural Monaco Athletics Festival yesterday, while Qatar’s three-time world champion and Tokyo Olympic gold winner Mutaz Barshim finished ninth in the elite high jump competition yesterday.
The event was part of the What Gravity Tour, the international high jump circuit founded by Barshim in 2025 to showcase the discipline through standalone competitions.
Harrison was the only athlete to clear 2.34m, capping a dominant performance against a strong field of 10 world-class jumpers.
His compatriot Tyus Wilson claimed second place with a personal best of 2.30m, while Italy’s Christian Falocchi took third on countback after clearing 2.27m.
Barshim cleared 2.10m before bowing out. The Qatari entered the competition with a season’s best of 2.27m but was unable to challenge for the podium.
Unlike a traditional athletics meeting, the one-evening festival was dedicated exclusively to the high jump, bringing together some of the world’s leading specialists, including Harrison, Wilson, Jamaica's Romaine Beckford and Barshim.
