If you’re a fan of the vertical jumps, this year’s Prefontaine Classic will be quite the show. The women’s high jump will join the men’s pole vault on Saturday, May 28, and the field features five high flying women who competed in the Olympic final last year.
The world indoor gold medalist from Belgrade, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, highlights the field.
The Ukrainian has firmly established herself as one of the world’s top jumpers since breaking onto the professional scene in 2019. Mahuchikh has been on quite an impressive run, medaling in every single championship meet she has competed in. She brought home silver in her first World Athletics Championships, clearing 2.04m (6-8.25) to break the world U20 record in Doha, and secured bronze at the Tokyo Games last year.
Following her breakout 2021 season, Australia’s Nicola McDermott is set to return to Hayward Field at the University of Oregon for the first time since competing at the World Junior Championships in 2014. Last season she set the Australian and Oceanian records three times and ultimately jumped 2.02m (6-7.5) to take silver at the Tokyo Games.
The American Vashti Cunningham is also featured in the field. After stealing the hearts of American track and field fans with her gold medal performance at the World Indoor Championships in Portland in 2016, Cunningham has dominated the event in the United States. She has won 11 U.S. titles, including the last ten contested, and brought home bronze at the World Athletic Championships in Doha. She finished sixth in the Olympic final last year.
Rounding out the field is Ukraine’s Iryna Gerashchenko, the 2021 Prefontaine Classic winner and fourth place finisher from Tokyo, and Yuliya Levchenko, a 2020 Tokyo Olympic finalist. They will join their compatriot Mahuchikh on the high jump apron. Switzerland’s Salome Lang is also featured in the competition.
The women’s high jump is a Diamond Discipline within the 2022 Wanda Diamond League circuit and will take place on Saturday, May 28. Tickets are available online at PreClassic.com.
