It was a remarkable display of athletic prowess and resilience by a young Ukrainian woman. Ukraine’s top high jumper, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, shattered a 37-year-old world record on Sunday at a Diamond League meet in Paris.
Clearing 2.10 meters (6.88 feet), Mahuchikh surpassed the previous record of 2.09 meters set by Bulgaria’s Stefka Kostadinova in Rome in 1987. This historic achievement comes as a opportunity of hope and something to cheer for her war-torn nation, as she sets her sights on winning an Olympic gold medal.
“Coming into this competition, I had feelings that I could jump 2.07 meters and maybe 2.10 meters,” Mahuchikh shared after her record-breaking performance. “Finally I signed Ukraine to the history of world athletics.”
The 22-year-old Mahuchikh’s journey to this pinnacle has been anything but easy. After leaving her hometown of Dnipro shortly after the onset of the war with Russia, she, like many elite Ukrainian athletes, has had to train abroad, constantly keeping an eye on the conflict back home.
Despite these frustrating challenges, she has remained a vocal advocate for the role of sports in providing hope and solidarity for her countrymen.
“We all are fighting for our people, for our soldiers,” Mahuchikh said last month after defending her European title. “We want to show every person in the world that we will continue fighting, that war in Ukraine is not finished, unfortunately. We should fight in every field to show that Ukraine is strongest.”
During the competition in Paris, Mahuchikh and world indoor champion Nicola Olyaslagers both cleared 2.01 meters on their second attempts. Olyaslagers failed three times at 2.03 meters, but Mahuchikh cleared the height, securing her victory.
She then proceeded to set a new Ukrainian record by clearing 2.07 meters and triumphantly surpassed the world record with a 2.10-meter jump on her first try.
Mahuchikh’s record-breaking win is not just a personal victory but a representation of Ukraine’s sporting commitment. Her success comes amidst a backdrop of global athletic politics, as World Athletics has banned all Russian athletes from the upcoming Olympic track meet.
This decision has Mahuchikh’s full support, emphasizing the broader solidarity within the athletic community towards Ukraine.
Just last weekend, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe visited Kyiv, reiterating his unwavering support for Ukraine. “Nothing I witnessed tells me that the decision we’ve taken is anything other than the right decision, but the right decision on behalf of our sport,” Coe remarked.
