Athletes usually head to the stadium with the essentials—gum, headphones, boots, and kits. But add a sleeping bag to that list, and you have Yaroslava Mahuchikh’s secret ingredient for success. The Ukrainian star isn’t just known for her record-breaking jumps but also for a ritual almost no one else dares to follow. Between rounds, she slips into her bag, stretches out on a mattress, and enters what looks like hibernation mode while the arena buzzes with tension. As she explains, “I lie down so that I have to get up less often, warm up, run, and spend all my energy just on jumping.” And it works, time and again. Even at the Tokyo World Championships, the ritual stayed the same, as the crowd once again witnessed the classic “Sleeping Beauty” recharging in her trademark style.
At the Women’s High Jump final, Yaroslava Mahuchikh turned headed with her unique ritual. She slipped into her sleeping bag, used a stretch roller as a pillow, and calmly zoned out while rain poured down on the stadium. Yet even in her slumber mode, she made sure to applaud every athlete during their introductions. Nearly an hour later, with drizzle still falling, Mahuchikh emerged unfazed, cleared 1.92 meters on her very first attempt, and strolled back to a dry corner—where she coolly retreated into her slumber once again as the rain intensified.
It was pure entertainment watching an athlete stick to such a unique ritual. In high spirits while speaking to the media, Yaroslava Mahuchikh laughed off the curiosity around her routine, saying, “Someone asked me that, you lay down too much and you decided to start at 1.92m and not 1.88, and I said you know I lie down every time, every competition, so for me it’s not a problem.” Be it at home, camping, or competing on the grandest stage in athletics, she is always accompanied by her little green sleeping bag. If one were to write the autobiography of that bag, the title would simply be From the Shelves to the World.
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At the start of the year, while speaking to Olympics.com, she revealed, “I lay down, relax, and imagine what I need to do for my next jump, what I should improve.” Well, she isn’t wrong; closing her eyes and zoning out has its own benefits. After her Olympic triumph last year, while speaking to TIME, the athlete added, “Sometimes I can watch the clouds. Sometimes I can count numbers, 1,2,3,4, or breathe in, breathe out. It’s like, relax, [and] not think about that I’m at [the] stadium.”
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So, where does it all begin? It was back in 2018, when her coach, Serhii Stepanov, and his wife, Tetiana, noticed a rather important thing. The couple noted that long hours of sitting left her legs heavy with pooled blood. Their fix was surprisingly simple: a sleeping bag. What started as a clever trick soon turned into her trademark, now inseparable from her competition days. Simple, yet brilliant.
Back in Tokyo, the Ukrainian star soared to a bronze medal finish, sharing the podium with Serbia’s Angelina Topić after both cleared 1.92m. Poland’s Maria Żodzik claimed silver, while Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers leapt her way to gold. With Bronze in her pocket, what’s next for the Ukrainian? Well, she is looking to go beyond the two metres.
“I want to jump higher than 2.10m,” said Yaroslava Mahuchikh about her record-breaking ambitions
The reigning Olympic and World high-jump champion is quite famous for her pre-competition rituals as well as her record-breaking leaps. Between attempts, the Ukrainian superstar refreshes her makeup and even snuggles into a sleeping bag. As of today, the athlete is on a serious winning streak as she has 15 consecutive victories, including Olympic and world titles, and the historic distinction of being the first woman to clear 2.10 meters. But now she has another dream, she is willing to jump beyond her record best.
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“My expectations for this season are so high, so high. Of course, I want to improve myself and jump higher than 2:10, I think it’s possible. I don’t know if that can happen in Paris or Tokyo… But I feel that I can do it… There are definitely no limits,” said Yaroslava Mahuchikh ahead of the Tokyo World Championships. The athlete was looking to jump beyond her limits, but fate had other plans.
With her Tokyo dreams behind her, she’s now setting her sights on surpassing that mark—but when exactly will she do it? That, for now, remains a mystery. Regardless, what’s your take on this phenomenal athlete? Drop your thoughts in the comments!