Mariya Lasitskene considers her international career is over

Olympic and three-time world athletics champion in the high jump Mariya Lasitskene considers her international career is over.

“My international career is over. Everything is already decided. No matter what we do, they don’t want us. I don’t have any hopes, but I’m just not ready to finish my career yet, because I want to jump”, said the 30-year-old Mariya Lasitskene through tears.

Russian athletes are still unable to participate in competitions under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations (World Athletics), since in March 2022 the board of the organization imposed a ban on them due to the war in Ukraine.

Mariya Lasitskene is a Russian athlete who specialises in the high jump. She is the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion and three-time world champion (2015, 2017 and 2019). With her victory in Tokyo, Mariya Lasitskene became the fourth female high jumper in history to win gold at both the Olympic Games and the World Championships. She is also five-time Diamond League winner, as well as multiple European champion.