Olympic high jump bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz failed to reach the heights of 2012 in 2013 but he insists he hasn’t lost ground in one of the most fiercely contested athletics events around.
The 26-year-old enjoyed a year to remember in 2012 as he won the European title in Helsinki, the overall Diamond League title and Olympic bronze in London in between.
However this year hasn’t quite been the same as he finished eighth at the World Championships and managing a season’s best of 2.31m – six centimetres lower than his personal best achieved in 2012.
Bohdan Bondarenko was this year’s best performer jumping a world leading 2.41m on the way to world gold but Grabarz insists he can still compete with the likes of him and will prove it.
“I had an unforgettable year in 2012 winning the Diamond League, European outdoor gold and of course the Olympic bronze medal and although 2013 didn’t pan out as I quite hoped, it has made me more determined going into next year,” he said.
“I don’t think there’s an event more competitive than the high jump. With the likes of Mutaz Essa Barshim, Bohdan Bondarenko, Ivan Ukhov, Erik Kynard, Derek Drouin all going above 2.35m this year, we all know it’s going to take a jump in the high-30s or even into the 40s to win a major competition.
“I’ve got some big targets to aim for with the world indoors, Commonwealth Games and defending my European title, so I’m determined to reproduce my best and put myself back in medal contention.”
© Sportsbeat 2013