Lithuanian high jumper calls performance 'tragic, pathetic, shameful'

Lithuanian high jumper Juozas Baikštys did not hold back his criticism after a disappointing performance at the European Championships in Birmingham. The 28-year-old athlete described his showing as "tragic, pathetic, shameful," expressing deep embarrassment after failing to advance beyond 2.15 meters.

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Tragic... Tragic, pathetic, shameful. Ashamed before myself, before the people who believed in me, in short.

Baikštys, who has competed in multiple major championships including the World Championships and previous European Games, cleared 2.10 meters on his first attempt. However, he failed all three of his subsequent attempts at 2.15 meters. This result fell far short of his personal best of 2.27 meters, which he achieved last year.

Despite feeling well-prepared and experiencing no physical pain or discomfort, Baikštys struggled to explain his performance. "The conditions are perfect, everything here seems fine, the preparation too, I felt good in training. But then I come to the competition, I jump, and I can't jump," he lamented. He suggested that psychological factors, or "the head," might be the primary reason for his inability to perform under pressure.

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The conditions are perfect, everything here seems fine, the preparation too, I felt good in training. But then I come to the competition, I jump, and I can't jump.

"It's a shame that I come to the championship and can't jump. The only explanation is here, in my head," Baikštys stated, reflecting on a pattern where his best results often precede major competitions rather than occurring during them. He admitted to feeling a "shadow" during big events, despite his experience, leaving him without clear answers for his struggles.

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It's a shame that I come to the championship and can't jump. The only explanation is here, in my head.