Yaroslava Mahuchikh wins high jump gold after three-day drive from Ukraine

The 20-year-old said ‘my heart remains in my country’ after taking the title in Belgrade

Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh celebrates winning high jump gold at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade (AP/Darko Vojinovic). (AP)

Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh won high jump gold at the World Indoor Championships after driving for three days from her war-torn homeland to compete.

The 20-year-old set a world-leading clearance of 2.02m to claim the title in Belgrade on Saturday.

She was in third having cleared 2.00m before posting her winning jump with her first attempt at the height.

“It was very important for me, my family, my country,” Mahuchikh told BBC Sport.

Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh en route to high jump gold in Belgrade (AP/Petr David Josek). (AP)

“I don’t think about competition, training. For me, coming here was difficult – three days by car – and to jump here was so difficult psychologically because my heart remains in my country.

“It’s so difficult but I think I’ve done very well for my country because I protect my country on the track. I think it’s a very important thing for my country.”

Mahuchikh had looked to be set for the bronze medal but she then made 2.00m with her third attempt at the height. She then produced a first-time clearance at 2.02m to strike gold.

Australia’s Eleanor Patterson won silver and Kazakhstan’s Nadezhda Dubovitskaya took bronze with Britain’s Emily Borthwick 10th.