TOKYO -- Three-time high jump world champion Mutaz Barshim has ruled himself out of the world athletics championships that open Saturday in Japan after failing to recover from a long-term foot injury.
The worlds would have marked his return to Japan where Barshim memorably shared the men's high jump Olympic gold with Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
"I was planning to make Tokyo my last world championship but unfortunately my foot hasn't healed in time," the 34-year-old Qatari said on Instagram on Friday. "I've given it my all, but we can't force nature and must stay patient to recover."
Barshim says he has been battling the problem since April.
Barshim took bronze at the Paris Olympics last year after winning the gold at the world championships in 2017, '19 and '22.
He has a personal best of 2.43 meters, second only to all-time record-holder Javier Sotomayor.
"Don't feel sorry for me not jumping," he said. "Feel sorry for high jumping not having me."