Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh celebrates taking the bronze in the women’s high jump final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh gestures in the women’s high jump final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Gold medalist Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers, second left, celebrates with silver medalist Poland’s Maria 呕odzik, second right, and joint bronze medal winners Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, left, and Serbia’s Angelina Topic, right, following the women’s high jump final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh competes in the women’s high jump final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh competes in the women’s high jump final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh celebrates taking the bronze in the women’s high jump final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
TOKYO (AP) 鈥 Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine won only a bronze medal Sunday in the high jump on the final day of the world championships in Tokyo.
Of course, she was disappointed. 鈥淚t wasn’t the result I wanted,鈥 she said.
She is, after all, the and the world-record holder in the event (2.10 meters). She was also the defending champion
But she has a much more important, high-visibility job.
鈥淚 feel I鈥檓 an ambassador for Ukraine,鈥 she said. “The war in Ukraine continues and athletes try to do their best to attract attention, to show we are a strong nation, and we鈥檒l never give up.鈥
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鈥淚鈥檓 so thankful to the Ukrainian people for supporting and watching in this difficult time,” she added, 鈥渢o find the time to watch track and field.鈥
Sunday’s high jump was interrupted several times by heavy downpours in Tokyo, a minor distraction compared to life in Ukraine and in Mahuchikh’s hometown of Dnipro.
People are pelted there almost daily with rockets and missiles, she said.
鈥淎ll I can say is it鈥檚 tough conditions all over Ukraine,鈥 she said, a yellow and blue Ukrainian flag draped over her shoulders. “Every day a rocket attack. Every night a rocket attack. People are not sleeping. Yesterday, it was a missile attack in my city.
鈥淣othing has changed from 2022,” she added. “We continue fighting.鈥
Nicola Olyslagers of Australia won gold with a jump of 2 meters with silver for Maria Zodzik of Poland also at 2 meters. Mahuchikh shared bronze with Angelina Topic of Serbia, tied at 1.97 meters.
鈥淚t’s such an honor to share a medal with such an athlete,鈥 Topic said. 鈥淪uch an honor for my life.鈥
Mahuchikh, who turned 24 just a few days ago, said she hasn’t been home in almost a year, training in Portugal and Estonia with an apartment in Belgium.
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She described what it might be like trying to remain and train in Ukraine amid daily bombardment 鈥 or fear of bombardment.
鈥淚 understand if I want to get results 鈥 to get medals 鈥 I should train outside because in Ukraine every time there is a rocket attack and you go to a shelter,鈥 she said. “It鈥檚 impossible to train to get the highest results.鈥
She said her family left the country to visit her earlier this year. She鈥檚 planning a trip home this fall and said death from the war has not touched her family.
鈥淢y family is in Ukraine and they want to be in Ukraine,鈥 she said “And if I wouldn鈥檛 be an athlete I鈥檇 be in Ukraine because it鈥檚 my country. My family in Dnipro says if they die it鈥檚 OK.鈥
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