The Olympic high jump champion and world record-holder on how she’s inspired to perform by those back in her home country
Yaroslava Mahuchikh is not short of inspiration.
The 22-year-old has had a majestic season – without a doubt the greatest of her career so far – with an Olympic high jump gold medal and world record.
At Paris 2024, Mahuchikh added a maiden Olympic crown to her world title with a best clearance of 2.00m, beating Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers on countback.
A month beforehand the Ukrainian, at the Diamond League in the French capital, raised Stefka Kostadinova’s 37-year-old world record by one centimetre to 2.10m.
She also retained her European title from Munich with a best clearance of 2.01m in Rome.
Mahuchikh is now aiming to win a third consecutive Diamond League trophy by taking victory at Memorial Van Damme.
This will be extra special for her as, for a year and a half, Belgium’s Heusden-Zolder base was home to the Ukrainian.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Iryna Gerashchenko (Getty)
“Belgium has become my second home and I get so much support,” Mahuchikh said. “My neighbours have told me they are coming to Memorial Van Damme on Friday to cheer me on. That does something to me. I think it’s great, too crazy for words.
“I really enjoy coming to the Memorial Van Damme and it’s one of my favourite meetings. The atmosphere in the stadium is wonderful and encourages great performances.”
After her season ends, Mahuchikh revealed that she is travelling back to her home town of Dnipro for two months and that she hasn’t actually seen her family since October 2023.
Her thoughts are never far away from those who are living in war-torn Ukraine.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Getty)
“I fight for my country, on the athletics track,” Mahuchikh said determinedly. “I jump for my country and the people there. They tell me that my achievements bring a little joy into their lives. My Olympic title brought joy in Ukraine for one day but then a rocket hit a children’s hospital [two people were killed when Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital was hit by a Russian airstrike on July 8]. I cried a lot then.”
Mahuchikh was one of three Ukrainian athletes who won medals in Paris with the others being Iryna Gerashchenko and Mykhaylo Kokhan, who claimed respective bronzes in the high jump and hammer throw.
READ MORE: Brussels Diamond League preview
Asked whether she preferred the Olympic gold or world record, Mahuchikh replied: “They are both indescribable memories. But records are there to be broken. One day, my record too will be broken. So, I will choose the Olympic gold. Once an Olympic champion, always an Olympic champion.”
Around 70,000 tickets have been sold for the Brussels Diamond League so far and UK viewers can also watch it live on BBC Two and BBC Three from 7-9pm BST across both days respectively.
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