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Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh is inspiring crack Australian high jumpers Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson to new heights.
Australian high jump queens Nicola Olsylagers and Eleanor Patterson are embracing the challenge of taking on the new world record holder with an Olympic gold medal up for grabs.
Bulgarian Stefka Kostadinova's mark of 2.09m had stood for 37 long years - making it one of the oldest marks in the track and field - until Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh bettered it by 1cm last month at the Paris Diamond League.
The two Australians watched on from the in-field - and rather than being intimidated, they were inspired to lift their own game.
"When I saw her jump 2.07 then, I thought this girl has got 2.10 today," Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Olyslagers said on Friday after joining Mahuchikh as the only two jumpers to cruise through the qualifying round in Paris without a single miss.
"Her face had such a focus and intensity, but it was the same jump.
"She didn't do anything out of the ordinary and I recognised that that was it.
"I don't have to change in order to do a 5cm PB at the Olympics.
"I've been trying to figure out the 2.10 formula all year and she just unlocked it.
"The more I jump against Yaroslava, the more I learn from her and the more we can both build each other up.
"It's not fun when anyone is winning with a low height - I want to push her to the very top."
Now fully recovered from the broken foot that hampered her earlier this year, Patterson was also impressive in the qualifying round with a single miss at 1.92m.
Having won gold and silver at the last two world championships, Patterson is supremely comfortable in her own skin on the biggest of stages.
"People still have to do it again," said the 28-year-old when asked how Mahuchikh's record jump had changed the game at the Olympics.
"They still have to perform - it's a major championships, it's an Olympics and anything can happen.
"Obviously it was an incredible jump and it's wonderful to see what is humanly possible.
"But everyone starts from scratch when it comes to this."
Mahuchikh, Patterson and Olyslagers filled the podium at last year's world championships in Budapest, with the gold going to the Ukrainian.
The Olympic final is on Sunday evening (early Monday AEST).
