(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Qatar's high jump icon Mutaz Barshim will miss the Doha Diamond League meet on Friday (May 16, 2025) in front of home fans, but that didn't stop him from being his cheerful self on the eve of the event. A lingering injury has sidelined the four-time Olympic medallist from competing at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium - just as it did last Friday at the 'What Gravity Challenge', his own innovative event launched last year.Despite the setback, Barshim was in high spirits as he addressed reporters on Thursday, outlining his immediate plans and firmly ruling out a fifth Olympic appearance at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.“I've been to four Olympics and got four medals. I shouldn't be greedy. I'm happy,” said the 33-year-old, who has been hampered by injuries in recent years.“I have been away all my life. My first Diamond League was in 2011, and my first international competition was in 2006, so basically, all my life I've been in the sport. I feel it's time to give more back to my family. But honestly, wherever I go, I'm asked this question - whether I'll compete in one more Olympics. From picking up my son at school to visiting a restaurant - people keep asking. I really appreciate that because it means people support me and want me to do well. But I stay firm. To this day, I stay firm - I think no more Olympics for me,” Barshim said.Undoubtedly Qatar's greatest sporting hero, Barshim said his immediate goal is this year's World Championships in Tokyo, with the Asian Games next year in Japan also on his radar.“Tokyo World Championship is definitely the main target. I'm working towards that. The Asian Games are close to my heart, and I want to do one more,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.These are the words of a man in the twilight of a legendary career. So it's especially disappointing that home fans won't get the chance to see him in action this year - a sentiment Barshim himself shares.“I want to jump at home. This is the place I care about most,” he said.“It was really difficult not to jump last week, and it's the same again here. We have responsibilities in this sport; we put our bodies on the line and part of that includes dealing with injuries. If you don't push yourself to the limit, you never know how far you can go.”Barshim also praised the new meeting record incentives, including a $5,000 bonus on offer for athletes in Doha.“Track and field isn't an easy job,” he said.“It's tough out there, and when it comes to the financial part of the sport, you can be fourth or fifth in the world and still need a job when you retire. Change is good, and we're moving in the right direction.”Still at the start of his promising career, reigning Olympic champion Hamish Kerr admitted he grew up watching and supporting Barshim.“To see him lead the way in our sport is inspiring,” the Kiwi said on Thursday.“The high jump is very open right now and, for me, at this time, it's about learning from each competition and building. Physically I'm in really good shape but I've not yet been able to fully connect - but that's what's so good about having these chances to compete.”The 28-year-old Kerr won the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships with a national record and Oceania best of 2.36m, upgrading his 2022 bronze. He matched that height in Paris, winning Olympic gold after a jump-off. The Commonwealth champion most recently finished second in the 2025 World Indoors.The high jump meeting record in Doha - which belongs to Barshim, of course - stands at 2.40m. As the conversation turned to what might be possible tonight, and who could leave with the $5,000 bonus, Barshim turned to the young pretender and smiled:“If you jump 2.41m, I'll triple that for you!”As Barshim had the last laugh, Kerr knew exactly what it meant: the legend may be stepping aside, but the bar - quite literally - has been set.