Yaroslava Mahuchikh breaks long-standing world high jump record

07/07/2024 10:47 AM

Ukrainian clears 2.10m to beat the 1987 mark of Stefka Kostadinova by one centimetre at the Diamond League in Paris

When Yaroslava Mahuchikh was born in 2001, Stefka Kostadinova's world high jump record of 2.09m was already 14 years old.

Kostadinova's mark came at the World Championships in Rome in 1987 but it finally fell on Sunday (July 7) when Mahuchikh soared over 2.10m at the Diamond League in Paris.

The Bulgarian's record lasted 36 years and 10 months in total and was one of the longest standing records in athletics. But the Ukrainian Mahuchikh is a rare talent and after winning the competition with 2.03m, she cleared a personal best of 2.07m on her second attempt and then 2.10m first time.

"Coming into this competition, I had feelings that I could jump 2.07m and maybe 2.10m," said Mahuchikh. "Finally I signed Ukraine to the history of world athletics."

The 22-year-old is the reigning world and two-time European champion but will be looking to claim her first Olympic title in the French capital in August after having taken bronze in 2021 in Tokyo.

Mahuchikh came into this season with a best of 2.06m set indoors in 2021. Her best this season prior to the Paris Diamond League was 2.04m but she found another 6cm on Sunday to create history.

Nicola Olyslagers of Australia was third in 2.01m with Angelia Topic equalling the Serbian record of 1.98m in third as Britain's Morgan Lake jumped 1.92m in ninth.

Until Mahuchikh's world record-breaking efforts, the men's 800m looked set to steal the show at this Diamond League meeting as the top three ran in the mid-1:41s to rewrite the all-time rankings.

There was no world record for Mondo Duplantis, though, as the Swedish pole vaulter cleared 6.00m (then failing three times at 6.25m) to win from US champion Sam Kendricks, who cleared a season’s best of 5.95m.

Djamel Sedjati of Algeria won in 1:41.56 as Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya was second in 1:41.58 and Gabriel Tual third in a French record of 1:41.61.

Only David Rudisha with 1:40.91 and Wilson Kipketer with 1:41.11 have run faster. Seb Coe's 1:41.73, meanwhile, is now down to No.6 on the all-time list.

Wanyonyi, the winner of the Kenyan Olympic trials in 1:41.70 last month, led around the final bend but Sedjati kicked past into the home straight and held off Tual on his outside and Wanyonyi on his inside to take a narrow win.

In fourth and fifth, Aaron Cheminingwa and Wyclife Kinyamal, both of Kenya, ran 1:42.08 to go equal ninth on the world all-time rankings.

In sixth, Eliott Crestan ran a Belgian record of 1:42.43. Seventh placed Andreas Kramer ran a Swedish record of 1:43.66. Azeddine Habz of France ran a 1:43.79 PB but was only eighth.

Sedjati, who won world silver last year behind Marco Arop of Canada, said: "I am satisfied with my race and am now preparing Monaco next week. I am confident and will prepare serenely for the Olympic Games in Paris in the coming weeks. I know that I can do even better there."

With the event acting as a prelude to the Olympic Games in the same city in a few weeks’ time, Marileidy Paulino beat European champion Natalia Kaczmarek – 49.20 to 49.82 – as Salwa Eid Naser, the 2019 world champion, showed a return to form with 49.82 in third and Britain's Laviai Nielsen clocked a 50.67 PB.

Jacob Krop of Kenya ran 7:28.83 to win the men’s 3000m from Stewart McSweyn’s 7:29.46.

In the women’s 3000m steeplechase Winfred Yavi of Bahrain won in 9:03.68 from Alice Finot’s French record of 9:05.01 as Britain’s Lizzie Bird ran a 9:09.07 season’s best in third.

There were worries for Kevin Mayer, too, as the decathlon world record-holder pulled up injured in the 110m hurdles in the 'triathlon' just weeks before going for Olympic gold on home soil.

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