{"id":589737,"date":"2026-05-23T21:17:32","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T18:17:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/korabelov.info\/2026\/05\/589737\/world-rivals-were-left-behind-levchenko-and-herashchenko-forced-the-diamond-league-to-talk-about-ukraine\/"},"modified":"2026-05-23T21:17:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T18:17:35","slug":"world-rivals-were-left-behind-levchenko-and-herashchenko-forced-the-diamond-league-to-talk-about-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/korabelov.info\/en\/2026\/05\/589737\/world-rivals-were-left-behind-levchenko-and-herashchenko-forced-the-diamond-league-to-talk-about-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"World rivals were left behind: Levchenko and Herashchenko forced the Diamond League to talk about Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ukrainian high jumpers Yuliya Levchenko<\/strong> and Iryna Herashchenko<\/strong> secured a double podium at the Diamond League<\/strong> stage in Chinese Xiamen<\/strong>. Levchenko<\/strong> won the competition with a mark of 1.99 meters<\/strong>, while Herashchenko<\/strong> finished second, clearing 1.97 meters<\/strong>. Third place went to Lamari Distin of Jamaica<\/strong> with a result of 1.94 meters<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Ten athletes competed in the women’s high jump event. For both Ukrainians it was the first start of the summer season. Yuliya Levchenko<\/strong> competed after her “silver” at the World Indoor Championships, and Iryna Herashchenko<\/strong> returned to the Diamond League<\/strong> series after a break related to pregnancy and childbirth.<\/p>\n

At the opening heights the Ukrainians acted confidently. Levchenko<\/strong> and Herashchenko<\/strong> cleared the first four heights on their first attempts, including the height of 1.91 meters<\/strong>. Also flawless at this stage were only Lamari Distin<\/strong> of Jamaica<\/strong> and Australian Eleanor Patterson<\/strong>. At 1.94 meters<\/strong> Yuliya Levchenko<\/strong> cleared it on her first attempt, while Iryna Herashchenko<\/strong> did so on her second. For Herashchenko<\/strong> this result became her best since her performance at the 2024 Olympic Games<\/strong>, where she jumped 1.95 meters<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The contest then intensified at the bar set at 1.97 meters<\/strong>. Iryna Herashchenko<\/strong> cleared it on her second attempt, improving her season best. Yuliya Levchenko<\/strong> cleared the height on her third attempt and remained in contention for the victory. After that the Ukrainians effectively staged a head-to-head duel for the “gold” at 1.99 meters<\/strong>. In the decisive moment the stronger athlete was Yuliya Levchenko<\/strong>: she cleared the bar on her final attempt and finished the competition with the win.<\/p>\n

For Yuliya Levchenko<\/strong> this is the second victory at Diamond League stages in her career. She first won an event in this series in 2020<\/strong> at the stage in Rome<\/strong>. It is also her first Diamond League medal in three years<\/strong>: in 2023<\/strong> in Chorz\u00f3w<\/strong> she was the bronze medalist. For Iryna Herashchenko<\/strong> this is her first Diamond League podium in two years<\/strong>. She last stepped onto the podium in the season final of 2024<\/strong>, where she took bronze.<\/p>\n

The double podium in Xiamen<\/strong> was the Ukrainians’ first in-person double success at this level in three years<\/strong>. For Ukraine<\/strong> it is also the country’s first double podium at Diamond League stages since September 2024<\/strong>, when Yaroslava Mahuchikh<\/strong> won at the series final.<\/p>\n

Results of the Diamond League stage in Xiamen, women’s high jump:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st place<\/strong> – Yuliya Levchenko<\/strong>, Ukraine<\/strong> – 1.99 meters<\/strong>
2nd place<\/strong> – Iryna Herashchenko<\/strong>, Ukraine<\/strong> – 1.97 meters<\/strong>
3rd place<\/strong> – Lamari Distin<\/strong>, Jamaica<\/strong> – 1.94 meters<\/strong><\/p>\n

Previously we wrote:<\/strong><\/p>\n