Yuliia Levchenko is one of the most decorated — and most recognizable — Ukrainian track and field athletes of her generation. A silver medalist at the 2017 World Championships in London, a three-time Olympian, and, as of 2026, a silver medalist at the World Indoor Championships, she remains one of the flagship names in Ukraine’s high jump program.
Athlete Profile
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Yuliia Andriivna Levchenko |
| Date of birth | November 28, 1997 |
| Place of birth | Bakhmut; raised in Kyiv from childhood |
| Height / weight | 179–180 cm / 59 kg |
| Education | National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport |
| Coach | Iryna Pustovoit |
| Personal best | 2.02 m (set in 2019) |
Early Steps in the Sport
Levchenko got into athletics after her family moved to Kyiv, and started training specifically in high jump at age 13. Her rise was almost storybook-like: after just a few training sessions, her coach decided she was ready to compete — and she won right away. Her talent was spotted quickly, and she soon began working with Iryna Pustovoit, a partnership that continues to this day.
Her progress was rapid. Levchenko made her international debut in 2013, and just a year later, at 16, she won gold at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing with a result of 1.89 m.
Career: From London to a Rough Patch and Back to the Top
Her biggest success at the time came in 2017 at the World Championships in London, where she took silver with a personal best, cementing her place among the world’s elite. In 2019, she raised her personal record to 2.02 m and also won silver at the European Indoor Championships.
What followed, though, was a difficult stretch. For years, despite being a world and European medalist, Levchenko couldn’t get back onto the podium at major championships: she finished eighth at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics and failed to make it out of qualifying in Paris in 2024. She has since described 2024, the year of the Paris Games, as the toughest moment of her career, admitting there were times she thought about quitting — what kept her going, she said, was something inside that simply wouldn’t let go.
Levchenko has said that even when the body and mind are exhausted and everything seems to point toward stopping, there’s always something inside that refuses to let go.
The turning point came in 2025: for the first time since 2020, she cleared the 2.00 m mark and finished fifth at the World Championships. The 2026 season turned into a genuine return to the top — her silver medal at the World Indoor Championships, with a result of 1.99 m, was her first major-championship medal in seven years. In the first half of the 2026 outdoor season, she cleared at least 1.94 m at all six of her starts and made the podium every single time.
Ukrainian Athletics Winter Championships 2025 in Kyiv, 22.02.2025
Her preparation was interrupted in the summer of 2026 by an off-track injury that forced her to skip the Continental Tour Gold stop in Zagreb and the European Team Championships. According to the national coach, though, Levchenko’s main focus isn’t any single tournament but Olympic preparation — which is why she was deliberately left off the roster for the 2026 European Championships.
Rivalry Within Ukraine’s High Jump Sector
A defining feature of Ukraine’s current high jump program is that it fields several world-class athletes at once, who are both rivals and teammates. Levchenko regularly competes against Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Angelina Topic at the same meets, including Diamond League stages. Despite the on-track rivalry, the Ukrainians maintain a warm relationship — after winning silver at the 2026 World Indoor Championships, Levchenko made a touching gesture by handing her medal to her coach.
Personal Life: Husband, Family, and Wedding
Levchenko’s husband is Yurii Kishchenko, a middle-distance runner and multiple-time Ukrainian champion in his discipline. The couple has been together for more than a decade and married in Kyiv on July 16, 2024 — for the ceremony, the athlete chose sneakers instead of traditional wedding shoes.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion began, Yurii took up arms to defend Ukraine for a time before returning to training and competition. The couple often shares glimpses of their training sessions and travels on social media, and Yuliia has said the long stretches apart, driven by their packed competition schedules, have only strengthened their bond after ten years together. The pair have not publicly discussed plans for children, staying focused instead on both of their athletic goals.
Media Presence and Photoshoots
Beyond her sporting achievements, Yuliia Levchenko regularly draws media attention for her appearance — outlets have repeatedly placed her among lists of the world’s most beautiful track and field athletes. She collaborates with sportswear brands, takes part in photoshoots, and keeps an active social media presence that blends training and competition footage with content promoting a healthy, active lifestyle.
Despite the injury and forced pause in the summer of 2026, Levchenko’s overarching goal hasn’t changed: winning an Olympic medal, the one accolade still missing from her collection despite three consecutive Games. That long-term Olympic focus is what’s shaping which tournaments she chooses to compete in right now.