High Jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh Wins Gold for Ukraine, by Olivia Miller
The bar is raised from 2.02 to 2.04 meters. Yaroslava Mahuchikh has chosen to forgo her attempt at 2.02 for a greater height. She attempts the jump, but her back bumps the pole, and it tumbles to the mat. It doesn’t matter. She is already a gold medalist.
She gets up and, smiling, waves to the crowd. She hugs Nicola Olyslagers, the newly crowned silver medalist from Australia.
Ukrainian teammate Iryna Gerashchenko rushes over to embrace Mahuchikh, wrapping her in the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Gerashchenko also medaled, jumping 1.95 and winning bronze for her country. She shares her spot on the podium with Eleanor Patterson of Australia.
Olyslagers and Mahuchikh both jumped 2.00 meters, but because Mahuchikh cleared the bar on her first attempt, she finished on top.
For Mahuchikh, the 22-year-old 2023 world champion and Tokyo bronze medalist, this is more than a medal and an Olympic title. It is a beacon of hope for her country.
“It is all about winning medals for our country, for Ukraine, for our defenders, because thanks to them, we have the opportunity to be here, to protect our titles and to protect our country on the track and to show the best of us all.”
She is an Olympic champion and the first Ukrainian to win an individual gold at the Paris Olympics.
“This medal is important, but in my country, Russia killed people. We are fighting for all athletes,” she said. “Almost 500 sportsmen died in the war, and they will never compete. They will never celebrate, they will never feel this atmosphere, so I am happy for this medal. It is for all of them.”
In July, she jumped at a world record height of 2.10 at the Paris Diamond League, breaking the 37-year-old record of 2.09 meters set by Bulgaria’s Stefka Kostadinova.
Even as she earns her Olympic title, she looks toward the future.
“The sky is the limit. We continue working. I want to improve my world record and maybe win many medals for my country.”
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