The Dnipro-born athlete fled following Russia’s 2022 invasion, but her nomadic lifestyle has not prevented her from winning in Paris.
In between jumps, Yaroslava Mahuchikh returns to her bench, crawls beneath the sleeping bag she always brings into the stadium, places her head on her rucksack, and shuts her eyes. She let her thoughts wash over her. Sometimes she opens her eyes and gazes up at the night sky. Ironically, Mahuchikh can only find peace in the midst of an Olympic final with 80,000 spectators.
She doesn’t actually fall asleep. “But I close my eyes,” Mahuchikh says. “I have a camping blanket that keeps cool at any temperature. Everything can be hot or cold, and it will be alright. It’s my pre-jump relaxation, concentrating entirely on the jumps and noting how comfortable I am.”
There is little peace for her in the bustling La Villette folly, where Ukraine has erected its Olympic base. The room is packed with photographers, journalists, and dignitaries from all over the world, all eager to get a selfie, autograph, or interview with the new high jump gold champion.
She has a foggy, confused countenance. She had barely slept an hour. She must return to the stadium immediately following this interview to claim her medal.
There is little peace for her at home. She is from Dnipro, a city in central Ukraine that formerly had a population of one million but is now significantly less as a result of constant Russian missile strikes. Friends and relatives keep her up-to-date on the latest news. Rocket attacks are sent to her through the family WhatsApp group.
“I’m now 22, but I feel that a lot of things happened to me,” she shares with me. “Every time there is a missile attack, I worry that I may lose my parents and family. Unfortunately, many children are now without parents. We live in the 21st century. We have technology and freedom, and the world is progressing. We should travel and share our experiences, but we can’t because we have to fight for our country.”
When asked what she misses most about Dnipro before the fighting, Mahuchikh says “good memories with my friends” and “this is where we grew up together.” The coffee. Dnipro is the coffee capital, with an abundance of cafés.
Also, I greatly miss the environment that existed when people were able to be happy. Because whenever you find yourself in a state of happiness, your thoughts immediately return to the troops who sacrificed their lives and left their families in order to safeguard us.
This is the place where she initially became interested in sports and athletics. She began participating in track and field when she was seven years old and experimented with everything she could find, including jumps, hurdles, and throws. A short time later, however, it was the high jump that started to devour her. She explains that it was the sensation of lightness that she enjoyed. “I realized that this was my work, my passion, and that I wanted to win a gold medal someday after I won the youth world championships in Kenya,” she said. “It came to me that this was my work.”
On the day that the Russians conducted their invasion, Mahuchikh gathered as many of her possessions as she could locate, crammed them into her vehicle, and then drove away. The Ukrainian sports organization began their search for a way to transfer her out of the country from a village that was located nearby. Detours and barricades, far-off explosions, and the faint ring of air raid sirens were among the experiences that were encountered during the journey to Belgrade, which took more than three days to complete. Additionally, she has made her home in Germany, Estonia, and Belgium over the course of the past couple of years. She is currently training in Portugal.
As the conflict enters its third summer, it appears to be as unstoppable as it has ever been. For those of us who have been distanced from the horrors that it has caused, there is a sense of helplessness that is understandable, and perhaps even a kind of paralysis, in the face of this catastrophe that keeps happening over and over again. In light of this, what specifically can athletes do for the Ukrainian people other than provide them with a momentary burst of humor? How can the rest of us find a solution?
“One of the most crucial things that we do is communicate with the world media,” adds Mahuchikh. “Just like every other Ukrainian, we make an effort to provide money, to assist others, and to purchase items for our military. Also, the United Kingdom has been of great assistance to us. It has attracted a significant number of Ukrainians.
There should be unity among all nations. The conflict began in 2014 with the conflict between Luhansk and Donetsk, and now they claim that we can put an end to the conflict provided we give them territory. No, that is not feasible. Our fight ought to go on to the very end.
Mahuchikh, the athlete, whose campaign has not yet come to an end, is the recipient of this. There are three more competitions for her to compete in this year, one of which is the Diamond League Final, which will take place in Brussels in September. After that, she will have a lengthy winter training block ahead of her. Still, let’s start with home. “I am looking forward to coming back to my own city, to see my family and friends, and to celebrating this gold medal with them,” she says. “I am very excited about everything.”
The Olympic competition is being shown on a rolling loop on a large screen that is located outside in the courtyard. Borscht and other typical Ukrainian snacks are consumed by gamblers while they sit under parasols or umbrellas. In close proximity to them, an otherworldly monument has been constructed. It is a stand of seats that was removed from the Sonyachny Stadium in Kharkiv, which has since been devastated by Russian shelling. It was erected in the center of Ukraine’s Olympic Games as a gloomy reminder of everything that has been taken away from them.