World high jump silver medallist Yaroslava Mahuchikh hopes victory at Absa Kip Keino Classic on Saturday will put a smile on Ukrainian people and help her country soldier on in the ongoing war with Russia.
At the same time, Olympic hammer throw champion Wojcieh Nowicki from Poland reckons a successful defence of his title at Kip Keino Classic will put him in a good position for his maiden world title later this year in Budapest, Hungary.
Mahuchikh hopes that she will stay focused and jump as high as possible having endured a difficult season last year following Russia’s invasion of her country.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 22, last year.
“Kenya will always have a special place in me, having launched my career here in 2017, which was a huge step to my future,” said Mahuchikh.
Then 15, Mahuchikh took the 2017 Nairobi World Under-18 Championships by storm.
She won her high jump contest by the largest margin in history of the championships with her personal best of 1.92 metres, equaling the championship record of her compatriot Iryna Kovalenko from 2003.
Her exploits saw her set a world record for a 15-year-old.
Mahuchikh has two silver medals from the World Athletics Championships and a world indoor and European title.
“I hope the results will be great because I am in my best form. What I would hope for is a good state of mind so as to be able to focus because what is happening back home isn’t easy,” said Mahuchikh. “The war at home, it’s difficult to focus on high jumps.”
Mahuchikh said despite the situation at home she was able to improve her personal best to 2.05m when she won the Brussels Diamond League in September last year.
“I expect to jump over 2m in Nairobi and see how the season goes,” she said, adding that her father Oleksii Mahuchikh expected her to win gold at the World Championships last year in Oregon.
“He told me I shouldn’t have collected the silver as he knew I would win gold,” said Mahuchikh.
“You see it’s sports and every result comes with lessons and experience but I hope for victory this time round…I will continue fighting for Ukraine through sports since every person in Ukraine wants the war to end,” said an emotional Mahuchikh, who trains in Belgium due to the war in her country.
