Shawn Barber, the Canadian pole vault record holder and 2015 world champion, passed away at 29 on Wednesday.
Barber's cause of death was not yet known.
According to the University of Akron's athletics department, Barber died at his home in Kingwood, Texas. The athletic department said that Barber had fallen ill and had been experiencing poor health for some time.
The university released a statement and shared that they remembered Barber as a well-liked teammate and competitor.
Barber's agent, Paul Doyle, said on Thursday, "More than just an incredible athlete, Shawn was such a good-hearted person that always put others ahead of himself." He added that losing such a good person at a young age was tragic.
He shared that he has been hearing from people around the globe offering condolences and sharing fond memories of Shawn. He noted that Barber will be missed by a lot of people all over the world since he was a great guy.
Barber is survived by his brother David, his mother Ann, and his father George.
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Getting to Know Shawn Barber
Shawn was born in 1994 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, but his father was from Ontario, Canada. He grew up in Toronto and the US following his parents' divorce. Despite graduating from high school in Houston, Texas, the athlete claimed Toronto as his hometown during competitive track and field events.
According to Hollywood Life, the young athlete was initially known as Shawn Barber on social media but was born Shawnacy Campbell Barber. He was a student at the University of Akron in Ohio, where he won the pole vault NCAA indoor championship in 2014 and 2015. His achievements doubled down when he won an NCAA outdoor title in 2015.
He would be capping off an incredible year by emerging triumphant with the gold at the Pan-Am Games that summer. Vaulter achieved his career pinnacle with a top vault of six meters on January 15, 2016, in Reno, Nevada. The mark was exceptional and remained to be the highest record in Canada.
Despite adverse weather conditions, he placed 10th at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. In a since-deleted post, Shawn made a public announcement about his sexuality on Facebook on April 24, 2017. According to Outsports, he posted on social media, saying, "Gay and proud!"
He also thanked his parents for being such a great support and helping him in his struggles. He added that he will continue to grow and have a great support group. Furthermore, he also expressed gratitude towards his friends and said, "I love you too!"
