World champion pole vaulter Shawn Barber, whom the Athletic calls "Canada's greatest pole vaulter," died Wednesday at his Texas home, his agent confirms to the AP. He was 29. Though details are not clear, he'd been having health problems for some time, and died as a result of medical complications. No cause of death is yet known. "A friend that will never be forgotten," his agent posted on Instagram. He added, in a statement to the AP, "More than just an incredible athlete, Shawn was such a good-hearted person that always put others ahead of himself."
After his standout pole vaulting career at the University of Akron, winning NCAA indoor championships in 2014 and 2015, Barber first broke Canada's national record by clearing 5.93 meters in 2015, and his personal best of 6.0 meters is the current Canadian record. He won the world title at the 2015 World Championships, and went to the 2016 Olympics the following year, where he placed 10th. "The last time I saw him was years ago in Poland. We all hung out after the race," Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones posted on Instagram, per TMZ. "Praying for his family right now." (More obituary stories.)
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