High jump favorite from Ukraine: "This is genocide against my nation"

Created: 08/20/2022, 11:55 am

By: Nico-Marius Schmitz

Wants to give hope to Ukraine: Mahuchich.

afp © Darko Vojinovic

The Ukrainian high jumper Mahuchich (20) in an interview.

She is considered a gold favorite at the European Championships.

Munich – In March, Yaroslava Mahuchich fled Ukraine.

For three days she drove over two thousand kilometers by car to take part in the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade.

And won gold.

The 20-year-old high jumper is also the favorite in Munich.

Mahuchich took the time to talk to our newspaper.

Yaroslava Mahuchich, you made it through to the final with ease.

How do you feel?

I'm happy to be here.

Munich has really become my second home.

I always travel back to Germany after competitions.

It's a pleasure to compete here.

It was rainy, early in the morning, but many people came to watch the high jump.

I'm really looking forward to the final.

They fled in March.

The World Indoor Championships followed, the World Championships in Eugene and now the European Championships.

Were you able to process all of this at all?

That caught up with me immediately in March.

I immediately understood what this means for us, for Ukrainians and for Europe.

Now we live in this reality where families live apart from each other.

A reality where families miss each other so much but can't see each other because it's just not safe to return home.

In which children are separated from their father.

One of my sisters also has a child, she actually wants to go back to the Ukraine.

But her husband says: Please don't.

Stay where you are safe.

This is our reality now.

Her sister and mother now live in Germany.

You will come to the final.

That's the best feeling.

It will only be the second time my mother has seen a competition from me live.

That is so exciting.

You are always seen smiling.

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all or nothing

I really like to smile.

In every situation.

But I think the smile is a protective attitude.

If I didn't smile, I would just cry all the time.

That would not be good for my mental state.

Laughter is a good way to distract myself.

I would like to tell you something else.

Please.

We received terrible news yesterday.

The mother of Kateryna Tabashnyk (Ukrainian high jumper, editor's note) was killed by a Russian missile.

This is so cruel.

I never want to hear the question again why Russians don't take part in the competitions.

There is a genocide against my nation in Ukraine right now.

We have to stop this!

There are no more safe places in Ukraine.

Rockets are flying everywhere.

But my father, we are all sure that we will win.

My father wants to see me.

In mid-September I will return to Ukraine after the season.

What does the high jump currently mean to you?

We show the world how strong Ukrainian people are.

We will fight for victory.

With our sport we can give them hope, a little smile.

A medal would be one of the few pieces of good news for our country.

Interview: Nico Marius Schmitz