High-jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh was one of three Ukrainian gold medallists in athletics at the European Games 2023, clearing 1.97m to claim victory at the Silesian Stadium.

The 21-year-old’s performance solidified her status as one of the sport’s biggest rising stars, adding to her silver medal success at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Mahuchikh’s name is well known to members of the European Olympic family, her gold medal at the 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Győr was followed by winning the summer Piotr Nurowski prize two years later.

The prize, which is named in memory of the former Polish Olympic Committee President who passed away in 2010, is awarded by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) to the best young European athlete of the year in both summer and winter sports.

Mahuchikh is among four former Piotr Nurowski Prize winners who have been in action at the European Games 2023, with three of them winning medals in Poland.

They include 2022 winter winner Nika Prevc, who continues to enjoy great success after securing a combined five gold medals in ski jumping at the winter EYOFs in 2022 and 2023. Prevc, 18, followed up those victories with a silver medal for Slovenia in the women’s normal hill ski jumping at Zakopane on Tuesday.

Also in action was Angelina Topic, who won the summer award last year and placed fifth here in the high jump for Serbia with a leap of 1.91m, while 2016 summer recipient Emmanouil Karalis, who finished fourth at Tokyo 2020, won silver for Greece at the Silesian Stadium.

These successes add to numerous others achieved by former EYOF athletes in Poland, demonstrating the relevance of the pathway opportunities provided to young European athletes by the EOC – something Mahuchikh recognised when she spoke to us this week:

EOC: How important were the EYOFs and competing internationally at a young age for your development as an athlete and for other young athletes across Europe?

YM: It is important to compete in such competitions and to feel the atmosphere of sports life. This motivates you to continue training hard, to improve your results and to go into adult sports.

EOC: What are your memories of your time competing at EYOFs and what did you learn during them?

YM: I have only positive memories of these competitions. It was a new experience for me when all the teams from the different sports in your country gather in the Olympic Village and you feel like a part of a big, friendly sports family. EYOFs taught me that you must always enjoy the atmosphere of competition

EOC: As an athlete who has enjoyed great success at a young age, what would your advice be to other young athletes preparing for their careers?

YM: Every achievement is the result of your hard work. You have to train, to set yourself goals that you want to achieve and you have to believe in yourself

EOC: How does it feel to have won gold for Ukraine at the European Games during this difficult time for your country?

YM: We are defending our country on the track and every win is very important for us. After winning we have opportunity to talk with journalists and to make sure that they continue to talk about the war in Ukraine.

EOC: How has your preparation for the European Games been? Where have you been training?

YM: Usually, my preparation is in my hometown during the summer. Unfortunately, I don’t have that opportunity at home and my training continues in small city in Belgium where I have all facilities I need for training.