Ukrainian Track & Field Star Yuliiya Levchenko Crowned As “High Jump Barbie”

During the previous eight days, the 2023 World Athletics Championship has taken place in Budapest, and it has been an extraordinary event packed with numerous unforgettable moments.

Among these memorable instances was the remarkable triumph of Sha’Carri Richardson in the 100m race, signifying her comeback to the forefront of women’s running.

Shericka Jackson won the women’s 200m final in 21.41 seconds, the second-fastest time ever behind Florence Griffith Joyner.

Noah Lyles became the first man to win the 100m and the 200m at a world championships since Usain Bolt in 2015.

Nonetheless, another noteworthy athlete who has generated considerable anticipation is Yulina Levchenko, the Ukrainian participant in the high jump.

Levchenko became a viral sensation on August 25th because of her blonde hair, striking resemblance to Margot Robbie (who portrays Barbie), and the social media manager of World Athletics’ enthusiasm in following a popular trend.

The account captioned a video of one of Levchenko’s jumps during qualification as “High Jump Barbie, Ukraine’s Yuliya Levchenko.”

In order to emphasize the message, the account also included a sped-up version of Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night” from the Barbie soundtrack. The clip, which has now been viewed almost 1 million times, quickly made Levchenko a viral sensation.

However, to the disappointment of her new fan base, Levchenko placed 17th, missing out on qualifying for the 12-women final due to a tiebreaker.

Levchenko secured a silver medal at the 2017 World Championships, but she has not achieved any international medals since the 2019 European Indoor Championships.

On August 27th, her Ukrainian compatriot, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, claimed the gold medal.

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Talia M.

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