The world champion in athletics suddenly passed away at the age of 29

World pole vault champion Shawn Barber has died at the age of 29. The accomplished athlete passed away at his home due to "medical complications" in Kingwood, Texas, as confirmed by his agent, Paul Doyle, in an interview with the Associated Press. The exact cause of death is not yet known, but Barber had been experiencing health problems.

"Shawn was not just an incredible athlete; he was also a kind-hearted person who always put others before himself. It's tragic to lose such a good person at such a young age," said Doyle.

Barber achieved significant success, winning the U.S. Collegiate Championships consecutively in 2014 and 2015 while representing the University of Akron. In 2015, he secured a gold medal at the World Championships in Beijing, competing for Canada. That same year, he also triumphed at the Pan American Games in Toronto.

His 6-meter leap in 2016 still holds as a Canadian record; during the 2015 Texas Relays tournament in college, he jumped 5.91, setting an NCAA record at that time.

Born in New Mexico, Barber held dual Canadian and U.S. citizenship due to his father's origin from Ontario, who also competed in the World Pole Vault Championships.

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