Teller Report

World's best high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh returns to Ukraine: "Know it's not safe"

9/18/2023, 5:14:10 PM

Highlights: Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the Diamond League final in Eugene, USA, with a world best of 2.03. She will continue to New York and celebrate her 22nd birthday on Tuesday. Then she will go back to war-torn Ukraine. "I want to be able to walk the streets of my city, a feeling I've been missing," she says in SVT's broadcast of the final. The 22-year-old has been training in Germany since Ukraine was invaded by Russia in 2022.

Yesterday, Yaroslava Mahuchikh followed up the World Championship gold by winning the Diamond League final in Eugene, USA, with a world best of 2.03. Now she will return to war-torn Ukraine. "I know it's not safe," she says.


She will continue to New York and celebrate her 22nd birthday on Tuesday. Then she will go to war-torn Ukraine.

"I know bomb alarms and bomb shelters are not safe, but I will go back to Ukraine and be there for a month. It's the best recovery for me. I want to spend time with my sister, my mom and dad and meet my friends who I miss so much, says Mahuchikh in SVT's broadcast.

"Want to be able to walk my streets"

When Ukraine was invaded by Russia in February 2022, Mahuchikh fled and set up his training base in Germany, which later became Belgium. But the longing for the hometown of Dnipro, Ukraine's fourth largest city with around a million inhabitants, not so far from the war zone, is very strong.

"I want to be able to walk the streets of my city, a feeling I've been missing," says Mahuchikh.

Admittedly, it was a world best of 2.03, a height that runner-up Nicola Olyslagers also took, but it gnawed a bit anyway.

"I won the Diamond League last year in 2.03 as well and next year I want to jump higher," says the Ukrainian, who has a personal best of 2.05.