Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the world record holder in high jump, who won the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Sunday, caught the spotlight after pictures of her sleeping during the competitions surfaced. After winning the gold medal, Mahuchikh revealed to "Time" magazine about her routine between jumps: "I feel at ease when I lie down; sometimes I can watch the clouds, and at other times I count numbers from 1 to 4, or focus on my breathing. It’s like relaxing to reduce stress."
Mahuchikh reaped the rewards of her routine on Sunday after she cleared the bar set at two meters without knocking it down. According to the "New York Times," Mahuchikh's routine began in 2018, the year she won high jump at the Youth Olympic Games. The newspaper reported that her coach Serhiy Stepanov suggested she relax for an extended period between jumps. This approach allows blood to gather in Mahuchikh's legs, thus the idea of a sleeping bag was born and turned into a habit; whenever the Ukrainian enters the high jump area, she brings along a backpack containing a sleeping bag.