Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh Flies to Gold in the High Jump with PUMA
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games has seen plenty of iconic moments that have helped bolster athletes to new heights. Sneaker brands have also taken this once-every-four-year event to show off their latest and greatest teched-out innovations. The past few days, the Paris 2024 track and field kicked off, and PUMA in particular is racking in Ws like no other. Kitting out their sponsored athletes in their signature NITRO tech, the Big Cat won gold thanks to St Lucia’s Julien Alfred in the prestigious 100 metre sprint, and they also scored both gold and silver in the women’s high jump.
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh was the athlete who dominated the high jump, winning her country their first-ever gold medal in the sport. It also marks Ukraine’s second gold medal of the games, and is a step up after her bronze from Tokyo 2020. At PUMA HQ, CEO Arne Freundt said in a press release: ‘Yaroslava is already an inspiration to so many but tonight's performance guarantees her place in Ukrainian history. She is a credit to her country but also a credit to PUMA, and we are all so proud of her.’
On Mahuchikh’s feet during her spectacular performance were the PUMA EVOSpeed spikes, bolstered with a Rapidagility sole plate. Speaking to Sneaker Freaker earlier this year, Mahuchikh explained: 'Jumping doesn't only come down to jumping – you have a runway of nine or seven steps. The spikes make me run fast and jump higher.' Mahuchikh continued to tell us about an issue she often found with the inside of her foot, and how PUMA solved the problem by custom-fitting her shoes. 'I gave insight into my stability and what I need to support my foot. We scanned my foot and fit the shoe to match. Sometimes I feel that I need more stabilisation on the inside of my foot because it tends to curl a little bit and I don't feel so comfortable. But PUMA improved that for me.'
The Big Cat locked down the top two podium positions, also scoring silver with Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers!
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