World high jump record-holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh got back to two-metre form but had to settle for second place at the Internationales Hochsprungmeeting in Heilbronn on Sunday (30).
The Ukrainian was embroiled in a three-way battle with Jamaica’s Lamara Distin and former world champion Eleanor Patterson at the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meeting, which was live-streamed via the European Athletics YouTube channel.
With the bar at 2.00m, Patterson made a first-time clearance, Mahuchikh took three attempts and the Jamaican was eliminated with three failures. With the bar edged up to 2.02m, it became a straight duel and was won by the Australian, who cleared on her third attempt as Mahuchikh failed.
Saturday’s men’s competition at the high jump-only meeting saw a winning height of 2.25m. Japan’s Tomohiro Shinno won on countback from Polish champion Mateusz Kołodziejski, Olympic gold medallist Mutaz Essa Barshim and Mexico’s Erick Portillo.