Less than a month after winning the female Rising Star award at the European Athletics Golden Tracks award ceremony in Tallinn, Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh was presented with the female Rising Star trophy at the World Athletics Awards 2019 in Monaco.
Mahuchikh, who was nominated alongside Jamaica’s Brittany Anderson, Ethiopia’s Lemlem Hailu, Ecuador’s Glenda Morejon and Sha’Carri Richardson from the United States, was presented with her trophy by her compatriot and World Athletics Senior Vice President Sergey Bubka.
The 18-year-old continued her ascent by equalling the world indoor record with 1.99m in Hustopece and Mahuchikh continued to improve throughout the outdoor campaign. Only 17 at the time, Mahuchikh became the youngest ever jumper to clear 2.00m at the Prefontaine Classic and she added four centimetres to her lifetime best at the IAAF World Athletics Championships, clearing world U20 records of 2.02m and 2.04m to win silver behind three-time winner Mariya Lasitskene.
“I am very grateful to World Athletics and the organisers of the awards ceremony. This victory is very valuable to me. I will have unforgettable memories of 2019 because it was my first senior World Championships. I was glad because I got to Doha and even in qualification, I did not even think about winning a silver medal,” said Mahuchikh.
Mahuchikh also won the European U20 title in Boras with 1.92m before three close attempts at 2.02m.