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National pride for Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Neeraj Chopra

Written by 
Published in Athletics
Sunday, 27 August 2023 15:28
Ukrainian lands her maiden world high jump title in Budapest while India are able to celebrate another moment of javelin history

Its easy to forget that Yaroslava Mahuchikh is just 21 years old. Given how extraordinarily well she continues to compete on the global stage, it can also be easy to forget the turmoil in the background of her daily life.

It was in spring of last year that she won the world indoor high jump title only a matter of days after having had to flee Ukraine following the outbreak of war with Russia. Still that conflict rages. Still she is separated from her family, training and living in Germany during the athletics season. Still she competes for a higher purpose than winning medals.

The European champion has certainly done her part in generating national pride and she did so again by winning the first outdoor world title of her career, upgrading the silver medals she won in Doha four years ago and Eugene last summer.

A second-time clearance of 2.01m proved to be enough, though she did make three albeit unsuccessful attempts at what would have been a national record-breaking height of 2.07m.

The Australian duo of defending champion Eleanor Patterson and Nicola Olyslagers both cleared 1.99m, but it was the former who took silver on countback. Britains Morgan Lake was fourth with a third-time leap of 1.97m.

I am so proud to win this gold for my country, said Mahuchikh. I cant wait to go back and show this medal to my coach. High jumpers have three attempts at every height and I had my third attempt at the World championships tonight.

Silvers from Doha and Eugene definitely were not enough for me. I have been one of the best woman high jumpers over the last few years and I badly wanted to become the best in the world officially.

She added: Before every single one of my jumps tonight I said to myself that I have to win gold. Only gold. For all my team that believes in me, for my family; from my father who could not come here to support me, but I felt his energy despite hundreds of kilometres between us.

I have to win this gold for my country and all Ukrainian people who are still fighting for peace in Ukraine and for our independence. Thanks to them we have this unique possibility to compete at the international arena and to raise our flag.

Neeraj Chopra (Getty)

Neeraj Chopra is another athlete who will find themselves at the centre of national attention, thanks to his mens javelin gold medal-winning performance in Budapest.

The man who shot to fame by winning Indias first ever Olympic gold medal in athletics two years ago has now won his countrys first ever World Championships title.

While so many of the field events have gone right down to the wire, with last throws of the dice deciding the winners, it was a second-round throw which settled the outcome.

After opening with a foul, Chopra then reached out to 88.17m with his following effort.

Pakistans Arshad Nadeem got closest when he produced a seasons best 87.82m in round three, but his fourth-round 87.15m was the best of his following attemptes, meaning he would have to make do with silver.

Jakub Vadlejchs 86.67m in round five secured bronze as the Czech relegated Germanys Julien Weber (85.79m) to fourth.

After the Olympic gold I really wanted to win the World Championships, said Chopra following a final in which his two fellow team-mates, Kishore Jena (84.77m) and DP Manu, also finished fifth and sixth respectively. I just wanted to throw further. I wanted to throw more than 90m tonight but it needs all parts of the puzzle to be there. I couldnt put it all together this evening.

Maybe next time. I dont use social media much so I dont know about my followers. There are so many people in India and I think, after this triumph, there will be more following me.

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