Shawnacy Campbell Barber, popularly known as Shawn Barber, was born on 27 May, 1994 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States. He was a Canadian track and field athlete specializing in the pole vault.
Shawn graduated from Kingwood Park High school in Houston. Shawn chose to represent pole vault for Canada because according to hm, his preffered sport was more popular in Canada.
To become a pole vaulter, Shawn followed the footsteps of his father who was also a pole vaulter for Canada at the 1983 World Championship.
In 2017, Shawn told Digital Journal the very reason he chose pole vaulting as career because, “it’s a very pure sport and it’s very easy to measure. It takes a little bit of craziness sometimes to do it, and not everybody can handle it.” He added: “Everybody wants to be the best, and it just depends on who puts the time and effort into it, and who comes out on top at the end of the day.”
Barber was a remarkable athlete and has many accolades on his name which includes, NCAA indoor champion in 2014 and 2015, gold medals at Pan American Games in Toronto, World Championships in Beijing, and the list continues.
Shawn Barber never really discussed his personal life but in 2017, Shawn announced through his social media post that ‘he is a gay.’
How did the News of Shawn Barber’s Death Spread?
Shawn Barber died at the age of 29 due to medical complications, the news was told to media by Paul Doyle who was Shawn’s agent. Barber died at his home in Kingwood, Texas.
Paul Doyle put a post on Instagram@paulmanagement, to mourn on the demise of Shawn Barber. Paul wrote, “A friend that will never be forgotten. Canadian Olympic Pole Vaulter Shawn Barber has passed away.
He is currently the Canadian record holder with his personal best of 6.00m and was the 2015 World Champion in the Pole Vault. Shawn was also an Olympic finalist at the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro. He will be greatly missed.”
As per TIME,“More than just an incredible athlete, Shawn was such a good-hearted person that always put others ahead of himself,” Doyle said. “It’s tragic to lose such a good person at such a young age.”
Also, according to a statement by the University of Akron Department of Athletics, “Barber had been experiencing poor health for some time after falling ill.”
Also read: Leslie Jordan’s Cause of Death and Obituary
