In a rain-interrupted final, Maria Żodzik of Poland produced a lifetime best performance to win silver in the women’s high jump in the final day of the World Athletics Championships on Sunday (21).
Zodzik and gold medallist Nicola Olyslagers of Australia were the only athletes to clear 2.00m in challenging conditions. But the Australian, twice Olympic silver medallist won on countback, having cleared the winning height at the first attempt, as opposed to the Pole taking three attempts.
Mahuchikh shares bronze with Topić
World record holder and Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh could only manage a best of 1.97m and shared bronze with Serbia’s Angelina Topić. After failing with one attempt at 2.00m, the Ukrainian skipped the height.
But after two failed attempts at 2.02m, she had to concede the title to the Australian. For 20-year-old Topic, twice a European medallist, it was her first global medal.
Żodzik's strategy pays off
"I should be crazy and over-emotional at the moment, but I feel exhausted and very tired," said Żodzik. I want to eat something and sleep. This night at the stadium was extremely long. We were competing for more than two hours with this rain break and I had to stay focused and ready to jump every single minute.
"When I recognised that I was already in a medal position, I could not believe it. A 2.00m jump is what I have prepared for, but I was sure I would need to be in better shape to fight for medals. I started out as a very promising high jumper but I got injured in 2022 and was forced to take half a year's break.
"Then I moved to Poland and needed time to adapt to a new country and a new team. Now I feel good, but the Paris Olympic Games one year ago were very difficult. I didn't know the athletes in the team. I hadn't competed for a long time internationally. I felt like a newcomer.
"That is why we decided to change our strategy this year. I tried to compete as often as possible to gain my best shape to bring back this competitive feeling. I also improved my technique, but the most important thing is, I became much stronger, not only physically, but mentally as well."