Paris, August 5: It was a night for war-torn Ukraine to rejoice. Thousands of Ukrainians watched on YouTube as high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh won gold for the country she was forced to flee, then celebrated with two teammates who also medaled at the Paris Olympics on Sunday. Iryna Gerashchenko shared bronze in the high jump and Mykhaylo Kokhan then claimed a bronze in the hammer throw, too 슬롯사이트� doubling Ukraine's Olympic medal haul from three to six in the span of about an hour. Paris Olympics 2024: Boxer Cindy Ngamba Becomes First Athlete Competing as Refugee To Secure an Olympic Medal.

슬롯사이트œMedals are very important for Ukraine because the people are having a very happy time, and they can cheer us and they can celebrate this with us and not think about the war for one day,슬롯사이트� Kokhan said.

Mahuchikh, who left her home due to the war with Russia, earned Ukraine's first individual gold of these Summer Games, following a victory in women's team saber fencing on Saturday. She is from Dnipro, a city of nearly 1 million located only about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the front lines of the war.

When Russia invaded, she piled as much as she could into her car and left town quickly. On her way out, she heard gunfire and could, at times, see shells raining down miles away. The next time she returns, it will be as an Olympic champion. Once the medals were assured, Mahuchikh and Gerashchenko ran down the track waiving Ukrainian flags, prompting a standing ovation at the Stade de France.

Then, when the two high jumpers were given special permission to run over and embrace Kokhan, all three Ukrainian medalists posed together with their blue and yellow flags. It wasn't all about celebrating, though. Mahuchikh also recalled the "almost 500 sportsman (who) died in this war.

슬롯사이트œThey will never compete. They will never celebrate. They will never feel this atmosphere," she said, adding that her gold medal is "really for all of them.슬롯사이트�

Mahuchikh succeeds Tokyo gold medalist Maria Lasitskene, a Russian who 슬롯사이트� along with everyone else from her country 슬롯사이트� has been banned from track and field's international events since the country invaded Ukraine. Russian rockets and missiles constantly knock out Ukraine's power grid. But Gerashchenko said that the electricity was working on Sunday,

슬롯사이트œToday we have internet, we have light and on the YouTube channel, around 160,000 people (watched) online,슬롯사이트� she said.

Mahuchikh cleared 2.00 meters to finish ahead of Nicola Olyslagers of Australia, who also cleared 2.00 but then failed all three of her attempts at 2.02. Eleanor Patterson of Australia and Gerashchenko shared the bronze at 1.95.

Mahuchikh considered jumping again and could have tried to break the world record of 2.10 that she set less than a month ago in another Paris stadium. But then she stopped and started celebrating. Mahuchikh was asked why she didn't make any further attempts. After Shooter Yusuf Dikec, Chadian Archer Israel Madaye Competing in Archery Event Without Any Specialised Gear Goes Viral For Scoring Lowest Points on a Shot in Olympic History.

슬롯사이트œWhy not? I was Olympic champion,슬롯사이트� she said.

Mahuchikh also gained curiosity for the way she lies down and wraps herself up in a type of sleeping bag between jumps. She said it helps her relax: 슬롯사이트œSometimes I can watch the clouds...not think about that I'm at a stadium.슬롯사이트�

Mahuchikh claimed the first Olympic gold of her career, adding to the bronze she won in Tokyo. She also won gold at last year's world championships.

슬롯사이트œIt's all medals for our country, Ukraine, for our defenders," she said. "Only thank(s) (to) them we have opportunity to be here.슬롯사이트�

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