South Korea’s Woo Sang-hyeok and Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh were crowned champions at the second edition of the What Gravity Challenge, held at Katara’s Roman Amphitheater Friday. The event brought together some of the world’s top high jumpers in a spectacular contest.
Woo clinched the men’s title with a jump of 2.29 meters, narrowly edging out Japan’s Ryoichi Akamatsu, who claimed silver with a 2.26-meter effort. Jamaica’s Raymond Richards also cleared 2.26 meters but had to settle for bronze due to a higher number of failed attempts.
The founder of the event, Mutaz Barshim—who won the inaugural edition—had to withdraw this time after sustaining a last-minute injury. The reigning world champion and four-time Olympic medallist has been advised six weeks of rest.
The star-studded men’s field featured 11 of the world’s top active jumpers, including 2024 Paris Olympic gold medallist Hamish Kerr of New Zealand and World Championship silver medallist JuVaughn Harrison of the USA. Kerr finished 10th, while Harrison was ninth.
Woo delivered a confident performance, clearing 2.15m, 2.20m, 2.23m, and 2.26m on his first attempts. Several of his main rivals stumbled at 2.23m and 2.26m, narrowing the field.
The defining moment came at 2.29m. After missing his first two attempts, Woo successfully cleared the bar on his third try, drawing loud cheers from the crowd. None of the remaining athletes managed to surpass that mark, sealing Woo’s victory. “I’m very happy to win a competition that brought together the world’s best jumpers,” Woo said after the event. “I’ll carry this momentum forward to my next event in Paris.”
This victory marks Woo’s fourth consecutive international title this season. He previously won the Hustopece Indoor Meet (2.31m), Banska Bystrica in Slovakia (2.28m), and the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China (2.31m). Woo will return home to compete in the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships, set to begin May 27 in Gumi, South Korea.
In the women’s competition, Olympic champion Mahuchikh soared to victory with a season-leading jump of 2.02 meters. Australia’s Eleanor Patterson took silver with 1.96 meters, while Poland’s Maria Zodzik claimed bronze with the same height, losing silver on countback. Mahuchikh is also the current world record holder with a 2.10-meter jump, set at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Mahuchikh expressed her gratitude, calling the event a great boost ahead of the World Championships. “It was an unforgettable experience, and I’m proud to be the first female champion of the Gravity Challenge,” the Ukrainian said.
Following the competition, the winners were crowned by Saad bin Ali al-Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism, and Bader Mohammed al-Meer, CEO of Qatar Airways, in the presence of Qatar Athletics Federation President Mohammed Issa al-Fadala.
Barshim expressed his deep pride in the success of the second edition of his brainchild event. “This success fills me with indescribable happiness,” Barshim said. “The idea, the public turnout, and the high level of competition exceeded expectations. The second edition truly reached a distinguished level.”
Barshim emphasised that moving the high jump from the traditional stadium setting to the theatrical stage marks an important step in evolving the sport. “This transition strengthens our vision for the future. It will inspire new champions and embed high jump culture into broader public consciousness,” he noted.
He thanked the Qatar Athletics Federation and all who contributed to what he described as a pioneering initiative. “This championship aspires to global status, and the response we’ve seen proves it’s on the right path,” he said.
QAF President al-Fadala lauded the event's organisation and competition level. “The performances were exceptional, and the championship demonstrated our ability to host world-class events to the highest standards,” he said.
