OregonGoldRush | For Ukrainian high jumper, world silver feels like gold

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The second-place finish at the world championships was beside the point for Ukraine's best high jumper, Yaroslava Mahuchikh.

“For me, it's gold,” she said Tuesday night, as she looked down at her newly won prize, one nobody would have been right to expect four months ago after she took a three-day car trip to flee her hometown and get away from the bombing.

Mahuchikh left shortly after her country came under siege by the Russian military.

The war grinds on.

Though thousands of civilians and soldiers are dying, Mahuchikh felt it was her duty to keep doing what she does best, if for no other reason than to give people back home something to be happy about. And, she said, to show Ukraine is strong.

“We will fight for our independence and for our territory,” she said.

“And of course, finally, we will win.”

She came into the biggest high jump contest of the year as a favorite, in part because the three-time defending champion, Maria Lasitskene, is from Russia and not allowed to compete in major events due to the war.

The Ukrainian finished behind the surprising Eleanor Patterson of Australia, who had one fewer miss than Mahuchikh at 2.02 meters (6 feet, 7 1/2 inches), which made the difference between first and second.

Still, this was a night to celebrate for Ukraine, and for Mahuchikh, who said she felt the warmth from the stands, where the yellow-and-blue Ukraine flags dotted a few seats and fans cheered for her before every jump.

“Now, everything is for our Ukrainian people, and everything you do, you want to show good results,” she said.

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