Ukrainian high jumper Mahuchikh loses world championship title in dramatic, rain-soaked final
Photo: Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Getty Images)
In Tokyo, on the final day of the World Athletics Championships, the women’s high jump medals were decided. Two Ukrainian athletes competed in the final – last World Championships winner Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Yuliia Levchenko.
RBC-Ukraine reports on how the competition unfolded.
Early rounds at the first heights
The final began at 1.93 meters, which 11 of the 16 participants cleared. Mahuchikh cleared the bar on her first attempt, while Levchenko did so on her second.
At the next height of 1.97 meters, only six jumpers remained in contention. Clearing on their first attempts were Nicola Olyslagers, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Angelina Topic, and Maria Zhodzik. Eleanor Patterson and Yuliia Levchenko succeeded on their second attempts.
Next challenge – 2.00 meters. Only Olislagers cleared it on her first attempt. Mahuchikh, Levchenko, and the other competitors failed their first attempts. Soon after, heavy rain swept over the Tokyo arena, prompting organizers to suspend the competition.
Levchenko finishes fifth
When the competition resumed, Mahuchikh moved her two attempts from 2.00 meters to 2.02 meters. The decision was partly strategic, as the Ukrainian athlete waited for the weather to improve.
Meanwhile, all competitors failed their second attempts at 2.00 meters, including Levchenko. On the third attempt, only Zhodzik succeeded. As a result, Levchenko shared fifth place with Australian athlete Eleanor Patterson.
At this point, only three jumpers remained in the arena – Olyslagers and Zhodzik, who had cleared 2.00 meters, and Mahuchikh, with her postponed attempts.
The competition was paused a second time due to the downpour.
Decisive jumps
No athlete succeeded at 2.02 meters. This meant Olyslagers became a world champion for the first time in her career. The silver medal went to Poland's Maria Zhodzik, while Mahuchikh and Serbian athlete Angelina Topic shared the bronze.
