Maguchikh’s First Diamond League Absence Since 2022 at London Event
Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Maguchikh, one of the leading athletes in the world, had to settle for fourth place at a prestigious Diamond League stage held in London. This marked her first unsuccessful outing since 2022, when she celebrated victory at this tournament. During the competition, she cleared a height of 1.93 meters, earning her fourth place. The winner was British athlete Morgan Lake, who cleared 1.96 meters, followed by Australian Eleanor Patterson (1.93 meters) and German Christina Honsel. This defeat was unexpected given Maguchikh's reputation as one of the top high jumpers globally. Earlier this year, she started the season with two tournament wins and secured two silver medals afterward. The Diamond League is the most prestigious and lucrative series of track and field competitions, gathering the best athletes worldwide. For Yaroslava, this event provided valuable experience, especially since last season she set a world record with a jump of 2.10 meters, won gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and became European champion. Despite her successes, the recent failure at the Diamond League stage did not prevent Ukraine from experiencing a demotion in the team division at the European Athletics Championships.