Gold in Birmingham: Maguchih becomes European champion in high jump for the third time in a row
Yaroslav Maguchih won the gold medal at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, clearing a height of 1.97 m in the final. This is the third consecutive victory for the Ukrainian at the European Championships in high jump. In the final, Maguchih, who was 24 years old at the time of the competition, demonstrated an impressive result, standing out with her flawless qualification.
Iryna Gerashchenko, another representative of Ukraine, finished the competition in fifth place with a result of 1.92 m. Gerashchenko started at a height of 1.83 m, then cleared 1.88 m on her second attempt, and 1.92 m on her third. Unfortunately, the height of 1.95 m proved to be insurmountable for her, so she was unable to rise above fourth place.
Final results and athletes' performances
The final began with Maguchih clearing the height of 1.92 m on her first attempt when there were 11 athletes left in the sector out of 15. After that, she cleared 1.95 m on her second attempt, allowing her to take the lead. Before attempting 1.97 m, the leading position was held by Polish athlete Maria Zhodzik, with Maria Vukovich from Montenegro in third place. Neither of the two athletes managed to clear 1.97 m, while Maguchih did so on her first attempt, claiming the gold medal.
After her successful performance at the European Championships, Yaroslav Maguchih attempted a height of 2.01 m, but all three attempts were unsuccessful. For Gerashchenko, the result of 1.92 m concluded her competition, securing her fifth place. At the previous European Championships in 2024, Maguchih won gold, and Gerashchenko became the bronze medalist.
Maguchih is also an Olympic champion and world record holder. It is worth noting that this was her first appearance at the Ukrainian Summer Athletics Championship in Lviv in five years, where she won gold and also cleared a height of 2.00 meters for the first time this summer season.
- 1. Yaroslav Maguchih (Ukraine) — 1.97 m
- 2. Maria Zhodzik (Poland) — 1.95 m
- 3. Maria Vukovich (Montenegro) — 1.95 m
- 4. Iryna Gerashchenko (Ukraine) — 1.92 m
This victory confirms the high level of training of Maguchih and her dominance in high jump on the European stage. Source: Suspilne Sport.
Continuing her successful career, the athlete not only wins medals but also sets new records, which raises interest in athletics in Ukraine. Gerashchenko's participation in the final also indicates the development of Ukrainian female athletes in this sport, although she still needs to work on improving her results to achieve higher placements in international competitions.