Pole vaulter Shawn Barber — a 3x NCAA champion who also competed in the Olympics — died on Wednesday. He was only 29 years old.
Barber’s agent Paul Doyle made the devastating announcement earlier today on social media, calling Barber “a friend that will never be forgotten.”
The cause of death is unknown but reports indicate Barber was dealing with health issues.
Barber, while at the University of Akron, won back-to-back NCAA indoor championships in 2014 and 2015, and the 2015 outdoor championship. Shawn also placed first in the 2015 World Championships in Beijing and the Pan American Games that same year.
He also set the Canadian indoor record with a vault of 6 meters in 2016 … a record that still stands ’til this day.
Barber also in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro … where he placed 10th in subpar weather conditions.
As news of his passing spread, fans and fellow competitors alike paid tribute to Barber, including star Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones who’s heartbroken over the death.
“The last time I saw him was years ago in Poland. We all hung out after the race,” Jones said on IG.
“Praying for his family right now.”
R.I.P.