At some point last year, Yaroslava Mahuchikh vowed to stop reading the news before competitions, so distressing did she find the stories and images of bloodshed in her native Ukraine.
One of the world’s top high jumpers, Mahuchikh knew that absolute concentration was required to perfectly execute her run-up, take-off and back-arching leap, but still, her mind would gravitate towards the distressing situation thousands of miles away back home.
Perhaps that’s only natural when your country is at war and fresh missile attacks are being launched regularly some even directed at blocks in your hometown.
“It’s challenging for me to compete after reading the news of rockets sent to civilians,” Mahuchikh tells CNN Sport. “I’m thinking about how many people died, how many peoples’ houses were destroyed. It’s difficult.”
That strategy – of trying to shut out Russia’s invasion of Ukraine before she competes – proved effective last year. Mahuchikh won her first world championship title in August, then successfully defended her Diamond League Final victory in September.
Understandably, her confidence is now high for the months ahead. That includes the Millrose Games in New York this weekend, the world indoor championships in Glasgow in March and then the Paris Olympics in July and August.