Mahuchikh completes 2026 European hat-trick with 1.97m gold

Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the women’s high jump at the 2026 European Championships with a clearance of 1.97m, completing a third successive European title. Poland’s Maria Zodzik and Montenegro’s Marija Vukovic both reached 1.95m, with Zodzik taking silver and Vukovic bronze.

The Ukrainian’s winning mark was below the level she has produced through much of the season. Mahuchikh had cleared 2m in five competitions in 2026 and had lost only once before the European final, but 1.97m was enough to retain her crown at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.

The result was shaped in part by the failure of Angelina Topic to challenge for the medals. The Serbian, regarded before the championships as Mahuchikh’s closest rival, managed only 1.83m and ended the final in 12th position. She attributed her difficulties to the cold conditions, saying she could not get comfortable or feel her legs properly.

Zodzik’s silver added a European medal to the world silver she won last year. Vukovic matched her 1.95m and secured bronze, following the silver medal she collected at the 2022 European Championships.

Germany’s Christina Honsel finished fourth at 1.92m, one place ahead of Ukraine’s Iryna Gerashchenko on the same height. Sweden’s Louise Ekman and Italy’s Asia Tavernini shared sixth at 1.88m, while France’s Solène Gicquel and Britain’s Morgan Lake were also among the athletes tied on that mark.

Lake’s eighth-place finish came after she cleared 1.90m in qualifying and equalled her season best of 1.88m in the final. The British jumper had dealt with run-up difficulties during the warm-up and strong headwind, but described her performance at the home championships as a positive result given her season.