Manager Aivar Karotamm was surprised that Jaroslava Mahutših set a high jump world record on Sunday. The Ukrainian jumper has suffered from a leg injury throughout the season.
– I knew that Jaroslava was ready to set a world record this season. The fact that it came today was a bit of a surprise. A good surprise!
Estonian manager Aivar Karotamm was a satisfied man on Sunday when he answered Urheilu’s phone call by Sébastien Charléty from the eponymous stadium in Paris. Karotamm was there when his Ukrainian protégé Jaroslava Mahučih exceeded the bar of the new high jump ME height by 210 centimeters.
Bulgarian Stefka Kostadinova managed to hold the women’s high jump ME readings of 209 for almost 37 years.
Karotamm watched Mahuchih’s record-breaking performance from the other side of the stadium, because his other Ukrainian client, the World Youth Championship and European Championship gold medalist in the javelin throw Artur Felfnerneeded advice from his manager.
– When Jaroslava crossed the line, it was hard to believe the moment was real. Before that, I had time to review what happened in Brussels, Karotamm said.
In Brussels, he referred to the Diamond League competition two years ago, where Mahutših jumped the outdoor record 205. In the same competition, he made his first attempts at the ME height of 210, but then the bar came down with each attempt.
On Sunday evening, July 7, 2024, the bar remained on its supports, even though the Ukrainian jumper has had a broken summer. Mahutših’s struggling leg has had an inflammation, which has been closely monitored throughout the summer.
– Jaroslava decided to go to the European Championships in June at the last minute. One doctor was of the opinion that you can go to the Games, but another considered jumping to be a risk, Karotamm said.
Mahutših jumped gold in Rome with a score of 201, but stopped the competition right after the victory was decided.
After the European Championship trip, he took a one-month break from competition to get back to real action in European Championship condition. Mahutših has been camping and training at the Kääriku sports center in southern Estonia.
– The leg has been magnetically scanned 4-5 times, most recently three days ago. Everything is fine.
At the time of the call, Karotamm had not yet arrived at Mahutših’s. Although the manager described his protégé’s achievement as magical, there will be no ME celebrations in Paris.
– What is there to celebrate? The Olympics are important. You can’t stay put now. No need to drink anything. We will go to the hotel and tomorrow we will travel back to Estonia together, Karotamm said.
Already another ME
The current summer has been successful for Karotammi’s stable. In May, one of his protégés, a second-generation Lithuanian puck prodigy Mykolas Alekna broke Jürgen Schultin almost 38 years old world record.
– Such results are impossible to predict. I remember a press conference in Lausanne when Mutaz Essa Barshim and Bohdan Bondarenko were fine with their lives. Both were asked when the world height record would come, but both said it could come today or never.
Cuban Javier Sotomayor ME readings of 245 have withstood the threats of competitors for 31 years.
– It is very rare that two athletes from one’s team make the ME in the same year. It can be celebrated after the Olympics, Karotamm said.