Athletics
How Yaroslava Mahuchikh made it to the top of the world, one jump at a time
Dancing and a love for her country have helped the Ukrainian star become the world's best high jumper - it's time you got to know her, ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo.
One of the highlights of from Paris last year was a photo of a young athlete that made the rounds of almost all the world's media. In it, she's wrapped in a sleeping bag, calmly napping before her next attempt. Her hair is braided and she wears her trademark blue and yellow eyeliner. Behind the scenes, rivals are warming up and trying to reach new heights, while nearby, an intense hammer throw competition is underway.
But the athlete doesn't care - she's focused on her strength and relaxed at the same time. In a few minutes, she'll be holding her first-ever gold medal from the pinnacle of her sport, and the announcer will solemnly broadcast to the entire stadium that Yaroslava Mahuchikh, an athlete from Ukraine, has become this year's champion.
Over the past year, Mahuchikh's name has appeared on the pages of the global sports press many times. In June, she became the European champion. In July, she broke the world high jump record that had stood for almost four decades. Now, every high jumper in the world will be looking up to the Ukrainian's stunning result of 2.10m.
It seems that Mahuchikh's entire career has been a series of ups and downs that the world has never seen before. At the age of 19, she jumped 2.01m, setting a new record among juniors. At 15, she competed in her first international event, in Minsk. "That's when I realised that this is my thing. That's what I like. What makes me happy," she recalls.
Today, it's hard to find space to rest in her busy schedule, but Mahuchikh has no plans to stop. So let's take this opportunity to get to know the Ukrainian who is literally on the rise in world athletics.
01
Until she was 15, she wasn't thinking about a sports career
Yaroslava Mahuchikh working on her bounce
© Vadym Herasymenko/Red Bull Content Pool
For an athlete of her level, Mahuchikh's biography is fairly atypical. If you delve into the past of world champions, you'll see that many of them come from sports dynasties. Mahuchikh's parents, however, have nothing to do with sports. Although, as she notes, her family has always been active, spending a lot of time outdoors and on the move.
Her passion for sports began with a regular sports classes, where she followed her older sister at the age of seven. Athletics immediately captivated the young girl.
"At first it was just running, 30 metres. I discovered the sport, started walking, skipped and started walking again," Yaroslava admits. "When you come to athletics, you try everything. I even tried throwing a ball and running hurdles. In fact, I was thinking of doing that. I liked it, the hurdles added speed."
Later, she tried high jumping and found a new passion - the ability to fly. "The most important thing is that you're like a bird," says the Ukrainian champion.
Until she reached the age 15, Mahuchikh still wasn't taking sport seriously. She was a good student and had no plans to connect her life with competitions and records. Until, that is, she conquered the height of 1.92m. After that, she decided to commit to it full-time.
02
She hates getting up early
One of the advantages of professional sports is that you can choose your own training time. Mahuchikh is very happy about this. She starts her training sessions at 10.30am every day because she hasn't liked getting up early since childhood.
"I was very lucky because my school was close by. I would wake up 45 minutes before the bell rang. I would get up, eat and go out. When I started studying at a sports school, in the 11th grade, classes started at 1.10pm. I thought: "Why didn't I come here earlier?"
Despite this, Mahuchikh is always on time. Even when she has to come very early.
03
Why is freedom so important to her?
As a child, Mahuchikh tried another sport - karate. Her sister, Anastasiia, had a brown belt and was a winner of European championships.
"I went there for a week, day in and day out, but I was bored practising the techniques, so I told my parents that I wouldn't go there anymore. Since childhood, we've been told: 'you are a person and you can choose what to do,'" she recalls.
Mahuchikh is sure that this freedom played an important role in shaping her personality. "I design my own life. It's my choice, and I make it every day. For example, I dance well and like to post it on TikTok. Some people then write in the comments: 'What is she doing? Why?', but it's my choice. I want to dance regardless of what people write or say."
By the way, Mahuchikh really likes to be called by her full name - that's how her parents address her. "As a child, I was steadfast: Yaroslava and only that." As for other variants, her sister calls her Yasya, and her cousin calls her Yarynka, which the champion also likes very much.
04
Which other athletes inspire her
Yaroslava Mahuchikh finds inspiration in her fellow athletes
© Vadym Herasymenko/Red Bull Content Pool
Mahuchikh considers Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt to be the biggest star of athletics - for a long time, his photo was even on her phone's screen saver.
"He took athletics to a new level because he made it a real show. He was a showman in the world of sport. And he still is. I watched him run and win and thought: 'I want to do that too,'" says the Ukrainian.
When it comes to high jumping, Mahuchikh's personal role model is another Ukrainian athlete, Yuliya Levchenko, but she also admires the world records of Norwegian Karsten Warholm and Sweden's Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis. Meeting both of them has motivated her to even more sporting achievements.
"It was a PUMA event to which the three of us were invited: me, Karsten Warholm and Armand Duplantis. They already had world records, and I was among them! I was sitting there thinking that it was cool to have such attention to my personality, but I wanted a world record too! I just knew that one day I would jump it!" she recalls.
That day came on July 7, 2024 during the Diamond League competition in Paris. Mahuchikh cleared a height of 2.10m, setting a new world record. The previous height belonged to Bulgarian athlete Stefka Kostadinova, who had cleared 2.09m to reign at the top since 1987.
05
If not sport, what else?
In addition to training, Mahuchikh paid a lot of attention to singing as a child - when she was 11, she studied at a music school for a year.
Another hobby of hers is drawing. As a teenager, she became seriously interested in abstraction and even took part in competitions. Today, this talent helps her calm down.
"Now I don't have time to work on a painting for five hours. I don't have the energy to sit for that long. I always want to do something. For example, when I paint at home, I often get up to play with my cat. I can also turn on some music or a film in the background, which calms me down and helps me to distract myself. One day I will definitely return to painting," she says.
To unwind and recover, Mahuchikh reads books. She says she doesn't like reading on her phone or iPad. She prefers paper books. "I love turning the pages, and I especially love the smell of a new book..."
06
What kind of music does she (not) listen to?
For Yaroslava Mahuchikh, it's all about staying focused
© Vadym Herasymenko/Red Bull Content Pool
Mahuchikh says that she doesn't like to listen to music while training.
"Even when I'm running a warm-up, I have to be aware of what I've already done and what I'm going to do next. That's why I don't like to listen to music when I'm training," she explains.
In her day-to-day life, she most often listens to Dua Lipa or [Ukrainian singer] DOROFEEVA. "Since childhood, I've adored [former Ukrainian pop duo] Vremya i Steklo, but I've never been to a concert. Last year, I managed to attend Nadia's solo performance in Dnipro. So, my dream came true. I also like listening to The Score. It's not rock yet, but it's something heavier. Although I don't like rock. Especially hard rock - no, it's not for me."
07
Best advice from her coach
Mahuchikh believes that you should compete not with other participants, but with yourself. This was her coach's main advice and she wants to pass on the same truth to future generations.
"You don't need to compare yourself with those who jump higher or lower. Just improve your skills. How much you work and train should be reflected in the results," she reflects.
Mahuchikh also admits that her training doesn't always go perfectly either. Sometimes things don't work out, because it is impossible to give your best every time. The most important thing, she says, is to keep working hard and believe in yourself.
08
How she came up with her distinctive style
Yaroslava Mahuchikh doesn't compare herself to others
© Vadym Herasymenko/Red Bull Content Pool
You don't need to compare yourself to those who jump higher or lower. Just improve your skills
When competing, athletes often look for ways to express themselves and project their creativity and personality. For some of them, it's elements of clothing or body art. Today, in any photo of Yaroslava from a competition, you can see her distinctive detail - bright blue and yellow make-up. She recall when she decided to make it an integral part of her look.
"I used to wear discreet make-up, with black or yellow eye liner. In 2022, when the war started, I decided that I would look like this. It was cool and became my thing. As soon as I drew them, I started to attract the attention of spectators, photographers and even people on the street," she says.
Mahuchikh has an instantly recognisable look
© Vadym Herasymenko/Red Bull Content Pool
Now the athlete spends an hour before every competition to create her unique make-up and hairstyle. Many global publications, both sports and glossy, have also appreciated her striking style and publish photos of the champion.
"When I need to get ready, I think about my country. That I came to compete and that it depends on me whether Ukraine will win a medal. Before my jump of 2.10m, I thought about what a celebration it would be at home if I jumped. I stood on the run and thought I could do it. I looked at the bar and realised that it wasn't that high. You can do anything. It's all in your head."
What's next for Mahuchikh? We'll find out at later this month at the World Championships in Tokyo.