A few hours after erasing Stefka Kostadinova‘s record in the high jump of 209 cm, the world federation also officially released a message that it has ratified the achievement of Ukrainian Yaroslava Maguchich of 210 cm, registered at a tournament in Paris in July.
Even last night, after checking, “24 Chasa” wrote that the change happened quietly.
Yaroslava Maguchih overcame 210 cm and thus improved by one centimeter the world record in the high jump, which was held by the Bulgarian Stefka Kostadinova for nearly 37 years. She managed to set the record after only four attempts.
Maguchich has raised the bar to this height in only two competitions – in Brussels and at the Charleti stadium in Paris, when he overcame them. The difference between these races is nearly 2 years – or 674 days to be exact. During this period, in none of her starts did she make an attempt to improve the record, as before.
On the other hand, Stefka made a total of 22 unsuccessful attempts in 8 races before setting her record. And in a period slightly larger than a year, or exactly 442 days. In a total of 7 races. This shows stability in results and no fear of heights. And between the two records, there are as many as 159 failed attempts by different athletes.
The 210cm achievement came out of the blue as Maguchich suddenly and very unexpectedly improved his summer results by nearly 10cm and then did not confirm such potential in a single start.
Then Stefka Kostadinova instantly congratulated Yaroslava after the Ukrainian took away her record. And a month earlier, the Bulgarian kissed her for luck and wished her Olympic gold with a record, while handing her the medal for the European title in Rome.
Many doubted the “mysterious” achievement of the Ukrainian woman and the new record set. For a long time it was not recognized by the World Athletics Association, but stood with an asterisk in front and waited for its ratification. Separately, overcoming this almost 40-year-awaited 210 cm was not televised live, despite the live broadcast of the tournament in Paris.
And all this happened against the backdrop of unprecedented pressure on Stefka Kostadinova’s record. For decades, these 209 cm “stung the eyes” of a number of officials and bosses of world athletics, and they insisted on annulling the achievement of the Bulgarian woman. Their reasons were that similar results were achieved long ago, in other times, that such records would remain eternal, which stunted development and stifled interest in athletics.
Stefka’s sports career spanned 14 years, but all 6 of her world record breakings occurred in a relatively short period of 20 months. He made his first world record at the age of 21, then in 1986 he broke two world records within seven days.
Stefka attacked her own world record of 209cm 19 times, most recently at the Atlanta Games, right after winning the long-awaited Olympic gold at 205cm. Now we wait to see how many times Maguchich will attack her 210cm.