World Athletics Championships 2023: Top three contenders in women’s high jump

Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Nicola Olyslagers and Iryna Gerashchenko are the favourites for women’s high jump title at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

FILE PHOTO: Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

The World Athletics Championships 2023 will be held in Budapest from August 19 to 27.

Here are the top three contenders for the gold medal in women’s high jump in the Hungarian capital:

Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Ukraine)

Yaroslava Mahuchikh is a 21-year-old jumper from Ukraine. She is a two-time World Championships silver medallist, Olympic bronze medallist and the reigning Diamond League and European champion.

This season, she has won the Diamond League meeting in Rabat while finishing third in Lausanne and Monaco.

Personal Best: 2.06m

Season’s Best: 2:02m

Nicola Olyslagers (Australia)

FILE PHOTO: Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Nicolas Olyslagers is a 26-year-old jumper from Australia. She is a former Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and the reigning Olympic silver medallist.

Olyslagers finished fifth at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene and third at the Diamond League final in Zurich.

This season, she has won Diamond League meetings in Paris, Lausanne and Monaco while finishing second in Silesia.

Personal Best: 2:02m

Season’s Best: 2.02m

Iryna Gerashchenko (Ukraine)

FILE PHOTO: Iryna Gerashchenko of Ukraine. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Iryna Gerashchenko is a 28-year-old jumper from Ukraine. She lost out to Italy’s Elena Vallortigara on bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene on countback. She also finished fourth at Tokyo Olympics.

However, she has been having the season of her life this year - winning the Diamond League meeting in Silesia, finishing second in Rabat, Lausanne and Monaco, and fifth in Paris

Personal Best: 2.00m

Season’s Best: 2.00m

Here’s an athlete who could prove to be the dark horse:-

Eleanor Patterson (Australia)

FILE PHOTO: Eleanor Patterson of Australia. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Australia’s Eleanor Patterson, 27, is the reigning world champion and former Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

Patterson has not been much active this season. She has taken in only three meets - ninth and fourth at the Diamond League meetings in Silesia and Monaco, respectively and first at Internationales Hochsprungmeeting Heilbronn in Marktplatz, Heilbronn.

Personal Best: 2.02m

Season’s Best: 1.96m

World Record - 2.09m (Stefka Kostadinova at 1987 World Championships in Rome)

World Championships Record - 2.09m (Stefka Kostadinova at 1987 World Championships in Rome)

Olympic Record - 2.06m (Yelena Slesarenko at 2004 Athens Olympics)

World-leading performance in 2023 - 2.02m (Nicola Olyslagers at 2023 Lausanne Diamond League)