Ukrainian NOC names Mahuchikh and Yakushenko as top athletes of September

According to the expert panel of the National Olympic Committee, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, a high jump athlete, and Yehor Yakushenko, a Greco-Roman wrestler, were named the top athletes of September 2024.

The press service of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine informs about this.

Taking into account the achievements of athletes, the Expert Commission of the NOC of Ukraine recognized:

In September 2024, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, a talented high jumper, emerged as the top athlete and champion of the Diamond League finals in athletics. Her coach, Tetiana Stepanova, was recognized as the best trainer of the month.

It is worth mentioning that Yaroslava Mahuchikh was named a laureate of Sports Month for the third time this year. The NOC Commission of Ukraine gave high accolades to her successes in June and August.

For the second time this year, Greco-Roman wrestler Yehor Yakushenko has been awarded "Best Young Sportsman of the Month." In September, the athlete claimed the world champion title in the 97 kg weight category for juniors under 20 years old.

His trainer, Mykola Yelarinov, was recognized as "The best trainer of a young athlete of September 2024".

Winners of the sports month will be awarded cash prizes, exclusive statuettes, and commemorative plaques.

For reference:

Yaroslava Mahuchikh, a native of Dnipro, holds the world record for the high jump. She is also the reigning champion of Ukraine in 2021 and has claimed the titles of European champion in 2022 and 2024 and world champion in 2023.

As a child, she competed in hurdles and long jumps. Her first significant accomplishments on the international stage came in 2018 when she set a record height of 1.94 m and won the European Youth Championship. Then, in May 2019, she became the youngest-ever champion of a Diamond League event. Most recently, she won a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games.

She won twice in the Diamond League finals (2022, 2023). During this year's prestigious competition in Paris, she shattered the world record (2.09 m) previously held by the Bulgarian Stefka Kostadinova, who is 37 years old. Mahuchikh set a new record at 2.10 m.

It's worth mentioning that Yaroslava Mahuchikh, a Ukrainian track and field athlete, became the Olympic champion in the high jump event, securing the top spot in the final at the 2024 Olympic Games.  Another Ukrainian jumper, Iryna Herashchenko, also won the bronze medal.