What Mahuchikh’s gold and other Olympic medals mean to Ukraine

At 22, she holds a mature head on her lean shoulders, a trait imbibed through hardship and toil. Her tall frame makes for a natural high-jumper. The competition inside the mammoth Stade de France was another routine ritual. The world record-holder (2.10m) seemed cleared heights in her first attempts with minimum fuss. She beat Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers on count-back after failing to clear 2.02m the final height. Another Ukrainian, Iryna Gerashchenko, finished joint third along with Eleanor Patterson of Australia. Mahuchikh has been anointed the undisputed queen as she won the country’s first individual gold. The two Ukrainians, with their flag for company, did a victory lap. The vociferous crowd acknowledged their feat with loud applause.

Noah Lyles, the latest showman of world athletics, won 100m gold, a medal he had been pursuing with heart and soul in a photo-finish only an Olympics could dream of. Yet, the story of Mahuchikh was the most profound. Just a day before, the sabre team led by legendary woman fencer, Olga Kharlan, won the country’s first gold of the Games. There too the narrative revolved around war and catharsis. “I have friends and family fighting in the war and they are dying but they are very strong and this medal is for them because I can be here because they are in the frontline,” she said.

The gold meant a world to her as much to the people of Ukraine. She gets messages of love from people in Ukraine and has turned into a symbol of hope, one who can give a moment of solace in troubled times. This will make them forget their fatigue and celebrate for a while. “Ukraine will win, of course, and I hope it will be very soon. And it is only for our people. We have very strong people. And of course we have got a lot of support from the world. Ukraine has a very brave military. Ukraine is the strongest nation in the world,” she said. The superlatives only reinforce her love for the country she longs to go back to.