World record holder Mahuchikh fights heat, humidity while napping in sleeping bag at world championships

​​​​​​​By Fatih Erel

World high jump record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh took a nap in a sleeping bag at the 20th World Athletics Championships in Tokyo between attempts to relax while fighting the heat and humidity.

Mahuchikh spoke to Anadolu after making headlines for the nap in her bright orange sleeping bag at the World Athletics Championships on the grass field at the Japan Olympic Stadium.

"I know that in Japan I am called like a sleepy queen," she said.

She said she uses a mat and different types of blankets to relax between attempts at events.

"I think l had started it in 2018 from my European Championship… because my second coach said … you should relax on the track so we decided to buy mattress to lay down. And you know after Tokyo four years ago, l bought that sleeping bag that is a blanket for camping because in Tokyo it is so hot and humid," said Mahuchikh.

"Now, l have for camping, and it’s a safe temperature, like not hot, not cold, and it’s OK for me, and l started laying down because I try to relax between attempts. Why I should spend so much energy," she added.

Mahuchikh holds the world record in the women's high jump and she won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, held that year because of a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the 2023 World Championships in Hungary.

Japan has been experiencing its hottest summer since records began in 1898. Temperatures are above average and sometimes exceed 30 °C (86 °F) during the championships. With the extreme humidity in Tokyo, the heat index, or 'feels like' temperature, has surpassed 40 °C.