Ultimate preview: women's high jump

World lead: 2.03m(i) Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) Lviv, 17 Jan2026 world list | world rankings

World record: 2.10m Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) Paris, 7 Jul 2024world all-time list | world record progression

The top three in the world this year – Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson – have a history of trading titles and they clash again on the hunt for the Ultimate high jump crown.

Ukraine’s Mahuchikh is the world record-holder as the 24-year-old cleared an incredible 2.10m in Paris in 2024. The following month she returned to the French capital to win the Olympic title, beating Australian stars Olyslagers and Patterson and clinching an early place in the Ultimate Championship.

Mahuchikh topped the podium ahead of Patterson and Olyslagers at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, too, but it was Patterson who gained world gold in 2022 and Olyslagers who took the world title in Tokyo in 2025. The last four world indoor titles have also been won by either Mahuchikh or Olyslagers.

But now there’s a new title to be claimed, and competition will be fierce.

Mahuchikh holds the world lead of 2.03m set indoors on home soil in January, but Olyslagers and Patterson have the best clearances of the outdoor season – 2.02m achieved in Zurich and Heilbronn, respectively, three days apart at the end of August.

Mahuchikh and Olyslagers have two wins a piece from their five head to heads this year but it was Patterson who won in Brussels, beating them both as she soared over 2.01m to clinch her first Diamond League crown before attempting 2.03m. Patterson also won at the Commonwealth Games ahead of her compatriot.

“The level in high jump is incredible with Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Nicola Olyslagers,” said Patterson after her Diamond League title win. “It’s a privilege to compete with them.”

Serbia’s 21-year-old Angelina Topić, already a world medallist indoors and outdoors, and Ukraine’s Olympic bronze medallist Iryna Gerashchenko have also cleared two metres this year, while Ukraine’s Yuliia Levchenko sits third on the world rankings behind Olyslagers and Mahuchikh and will also be in contention.

Jess Whittington for World Athletics

Title key: 🏅 Olympic champion, 🌍 world champion, 💎 Diamond League champion