Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine triumphed in a riveting women’s high jump final at the Stade de France on Sunday, August 4, during the Paris 2024 Olympics. Mahuchikh secured the gold medal by successfully clearing 2.00 meters on her first attempt, while Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers took home the silver after needing three attempts to reach the same height.
The bronze medal was jointly awarded to Eleanor Patterson of Australia and Iryna Gerashchenko of Ukraine, both of whom cleared 1.95 meters but were unable to clear 1.98 meters in their subsequent three attempts.
Following her victory, world record holder Mahuchikh shared her emotions about winning the gold medal. “I dreamed of this moment when I started my track & field career, and it was a significant motivation for me,” she said. She also expressed her gratitude for her successful jump at 2.00 meters, stating, “I thank God that I jumped with my first attempt, and that gave me the gold medal that I want to dedicate to my country.”
Olyslagers reflected on her journey in the sport, which has brought her to her second Olympic silver medal, following her 2020 Tokyo Games experience. “I had people that saw something inside of me and said ‘keep going – you’ve got a gift,’” she noted. “I started high jump when I was eight years old. As soon as I did it, I just fell in love with it. I wasn’t the best at it at the beginning, it was that love that carried me through.”