Ukrain’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh continues to defy the odds after her record-breaking performance lately.
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh claimed a record-equalling fourth high jump victory at the Banskobystricka latka, clearing a world lead of 2.01m at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting in Banska Bystrica on February 18.
The world record-holder maintained a win streak that dates back to June last year to beat two previous winners in Banska Bystrica, Australia’s Eleanor Patterson and Serbia’s Angelina Topic.
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Olympic and world champion Mahuchikh overcame a wobble at 1.93m to secure victory. After entering the contest at 1.90m, which she cleared first time, she failed twice at 1.93m and decided to pass her final attempt at that height to have one go at 1.96m.
Greats of the current generation of sprinters have earned comparison to Usain Bolt but it is a mystery Jamaican athlete that got the world’s fastest man’s nod.
The gamble paid off and she sat second on countback to 2022 world champion Patterson, who cleared each of her heights – from 1.85m to 1.99m – on her first attempts.
Mahuchikh also managed 1.99m on her first try and then clinched the win when she soared over 2.01m at the first time of asking while Patterson knocked off the bar on each of her three attempts. Mahuchikh, who cleared her indoor PB of 2.06m in Banska Bystrica in 2021, then had three unsuccessful tries at 2.04m.
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Mo Farah has credited training and living with Kenyan athletes as the key to his success.
Mahuchikh, who opened her season with a 1.94m win in Udine on February 6 and targets both the European Indoor Championships and World Indoor Championships this season, becomes the first woman to surpass two metres in 2025, adding 3cm to the world lead set by Poland’s Maria Zodzik at the end of January.
After winning last year, world U20 champion Topic finished third this time, clearing 1.96m – just 1cm off her indoor PB. She also had two attempts at 1.99m and one try at 2.01m.
Hungary’s 17-year-old Lilianna Batori finished fourth, clearing a national U20 record of 1.93m, the same height that was managed by Great Britain’s Morgan Lake to finish fifth. Six athletes remained in the competition at 1.90m, while all 11 members of the field managed at least 1.85m.
Korea’s defending champion Woo Sanghyeok, who cleared 2.31m in Hustopece 10 days ago to match the world lead, secured his second win of the season with a best of 2.28m in the men’s contest in Banska Bystrica.
The 2022 world indoor champion started at 2.16m and cleared each of his heights up to 2.28m on his first attempts. He went on to try what would have been a world-leading height of 2.32m.
Cuba’s Luis Zayas cleared 2.25m to finish second, while five athletes finished the contest with a best of 2.21m, led by Italy’s Manuel Lando who placed third on countback. That height was also achieved by Bahamian 2007 world champion Donald Thomas, the 40-year-old improving the world M40 masters record with his performance.
