Ukraine’s Mahuchikh Makes History as First Ultimate High Jump Champion

Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh made athletics history on Friday, Sept. 11, becoming the first-ever women’s high jump champion at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest. The Olympic champion and world record-holder cleared 1.99 meters to secure the title, defeating reigning world champion Nicola Olyslagers of Australia, who finished second with 1.95 meters. Australia’s Eleanor Patterson and Serbia’s Angelina Topić shared third place after clearing 1.91 meters.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Mahuchikh opened at 1.91 meters and cleared both that height and 1.95 meters on her first attempts. She needed two tries at 1.99 meters, but the height proved enough for victory after Olyslagers failed to clear the bar. With the title secured, the Ukrainian attempted 2.04 meters three times but was unable to improve on her 2026 world-leading mark of 2.03 meters. “I am so proud to be in the history of world athletics,” Mahuchikh said. “This is the first Ultimate Championship and I am the first Ultimate champion – I am so happy.” The victory carries a $150,000 prize and adds another global title to Mahuchikh’s growing collection. The new World Athletics Ultimate Championship, held from Sept. 11-13, brings together Olympic champions, world champions, Diamond League winners and the year’s leading athletes. Its $10 million prize fund is the largest ever offered at a single track and field competition. Other Topics of Interest EU Fails to Extend Russia Sanctions For Second Time France now wants Alisher Usmanov, a Uzbek-Russian businessman, removed from the list, complicating talks just days before the deadline. For Mahuchikh, Budapest also carries special significance. She won her outdoor world title in the Hungarian capital in 2023 before going on to take Olympic gold in Paris the following year. The 24-year-old was born and raised in Dnipro, Ukraine. She initially competed in sprinting, hurdles and long jump before turning to high jump under longtime coach Tetyana Stepanova at age 13. By 17, Mahuchikh had become the youngest athlete ever to win a Diamond League event. Her career took on a deeper significance after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Mahuchikh was at home in Dnipro when she woke to explosions on Feb. 24. She and her family fled the city before she made a three-day journey by car to Serbia to compete at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade. Just weeks after fleeing Ukraine, she cleared 2.02 meters to win gold in Belgrade, saying afterward that she had competed not only for herself but for Ukraine. Mahuchikh has since become one of Ukraine’s most recognizable international athletes. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.