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An 18-year-old Ukrainian girl stops the breath of the (few) spectators at Khalifa Stadium, throws herself in a slow, slow race, and rises to the sky to overcome the 2.04 meter ribbon. A star has been born. Yaroslava Mahuchikh did not win the gold because his feat was late, the third attempt, while the Russian Mariya Lasistkene had achieved it at the first, but its appearance was one of the first surprises of the Doha World Cup.

After many years of emptiness, of modest marks in the female high jump - a few years that Ruth Beitia took advantage of -, the discipline shines again with a Russia-Ukraine geopolitical duel and a talent as few had seen. In her first absolute championship Mahuchikh shattered the U20 world record and left surprised of herself, of her gift. "The truth, I do not believe it. I did not expect to exceed two meters," he accepted in an exaggerated ascent because until he was 13 he never jumped. As a child, Mahuchikh imagined a fondist, but she was placed before a ribbon and there was no doubt: only two years later, with 15, she won the 2017 Nairobi Junior World Cup, broke the age record (exceeded 1.92 meters) and took 10 centimeters to the second classified.

This Monday, for the first time under the big spotlights, he enjoyed his silver on the tartan. While Lasistkene tried to jump 2.08 meters, the Ukrainian gave up trying, pulled the flag of her country, painted her lips and prepared for a long celebration with the American Vashti Cunningham , bronze (2.00), companion of generation.

It was his day in the championships in the absence of the world records that were announced. In the 3,000 meters obstacles, the Kenyan Beatrice Chepkoech tried to beat herself, left alone, but could not with her record. And in the 400 meters hurdles, the Norwegian Kartsen Warholm returned to make a vertiginous exit to secure the gold, but he stayed far from the record that Kevin Young established in the Olympic Games of Barcelona 1992.

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