In a season marred by the conflict in her country, Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the women’s high jump on Sunday to bring Ukraine’s lone gold medal from the World Athletics Championships.
After two second-place results, the 21-year-old from Dnipro, who was forced to leave her hometown, cleared 2.01 metres to win her maiden outdoor world championship.
The world’s top-ranked Eleanor Patterson cleared 1.99 metres to win silver, while Nicola Olyslagers of Australia, who also cleared 1.99 metres, finished third on the countback.
Mahuchikh won the global indoor title in 2022 and gave the gold medal to Ukraine. Mahuchikh has been training abroad, including in Germany, and has not returned to Dnipro.