High Jump, Women

The top high jumper in the last few years had been Russia’s Mariya Lasitskene, who had won three World Championships, but had not been able to compete at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 because of restrictions against Russian athletes due to their ongoing doping scandal. However, she seemed less dominant in 2021, with only one 2-metre jump on the year, and was now challenged by three top Ukrainian jumpers – Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Iryna Herashchenko, and Yuliya Levchenko. Also expected to be in medal contention were American Vashti Cunningham and Australian Nicola McDermott.

Fifteen (15) jumpers made it to the final, all clearing the automatic qualifier of 1.95, which made for a long final. In that final nine jumpers remained after clearing 1.96, which included all the medal favorites. At 1.98 only Lasitskene, McDermott, Mahuchikh, and Herashchenko had clearances, and after some passes to 2.00, Cunningham and Levchenko were eliminated.

McDermott took the lead by jumping 2.00 on her first attempt, as Lasitskene and Mahuchikh needed two tries, and Herashchenko would go out at this height, settling the members of the podium. With the bar raised to 2.02, Lasitskene had a first attempt clearance to move into the lead, as McDermott needed two efforts. Herashchenko went out at 2.02, and when McDermott missed three times at 2.04, the gold medal was Lasitskene’s, although she did succeed at that height on her second attempt.