Mahuchikh pips Olyslagers in Silesia Diamond League high jump

Ukraine’s Olympic and world champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh notched up her 22nd Diamond League victory in a high jump shoot-out with Australian Nicola Olyslagers in Katowice on Friday.

The women’s high jump was one of three disciplines along with the women’s shot put and women’s pole vault that were held in the main square of the southwestern Polish city.

The main Silesia Diamond League meet will be held in neighbouring Chorzow on Saturday, when Olympic champion Noah Lyles goes head-to-head with Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson in a much-anticipated re-match of last year’s Paris Games 100m final.

The high jump predictably turned into a battle between the two clear favourites. 

Mahuchikh cleared 2.00 metres at her second attempt to heap the pressure on her Australian rival, the two-time defending indoor champion who won silver medals at the last two Olympics.

But it proved to be too much and Olyslagers had to be content with second place in 1.97m behind the world record holder who has now bagged three wins on the circuit this season.

Germany’s Imke Onnen was a distant third with a best of 1.91m.

Only three other jumpers of the 10-strong field made the 1.88m mark in blistering heat and in front of a big crowd packed into temporary stands.

Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands wrapped up victory in the women’s shot put with a best of 19.66m on her fifth of six attempts.

The two-time European champion saw off competition from Germany’s reigning Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye (19.50m), with American Maggie Ewen rounding out the podium, a further centimetre adrift.