Bohdan Viktorovych Bondarenko (; born August 30, 1989) is a Ukrainian

high jump The high jump is a track and field event in which competitors must jump unaided over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without dislodging it. In its modern, most-practiced format, a bar is placed between two standards with a crash mat f ...

er. He is the 2013 World champion, 2014 European champion, and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist. Bondarenko uses the

Fosbury Flop The Fosbury flop is a jumping style used in the track and field event of high jump. It was popularized and perfected by American athlete Dick Fosbury, whose gold medal in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City brought it to the world's attention. ...

technique, jumping off his right leg. He is one of the tallest high jumpers competing on the elite Diamond League circuit, standing 1.98 meters (6' 6"). On 14 June 2014, he achieved his personal best jump of 2.42 metres at the

2014 IAAF Diamond League The 2014 IAAF Diamond League was the fifth edition of the annual Diamond League. It consisted of fourteen one-day track and field meetings, starting on May 9, 2014, in Doha, Qatar and ending on September 5, 2014, in Brussels, Belgium. Other events ...

event in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. The jump is a European record and places him joint third on the men's all-time list, behind

Javier Sotomayor Javier Sotomayor Sanabria (; born 13 October 1967) is a Cuban former track and field athlete who specialized in the high jump and is the current Men's high jump world record progression, world record holder. The 1992 Summer Olympics, 1992 Olymp ...

and

Mutaz Essa Barshim Mutaz Essa Barsham (; born 24 June 1991) is a Qatari track and field athlete who competes in the high jump and is the former Olympic Champion. He is also the former World Champion and second highest jumper of all-time with a personal best of 2.4 ...

and tied with

Patrik Sjöberg Jan Niklas Patrik Sjöberg (; born 5 January 1965) is a Swedish former high jumper. He broke the world record with in Stockholm on 30 June 1987. This mark is still the European record and ranks him third on the world all-time list behind Javie ...

. His indoor best is 2.27 metres.

Athletics career

Coaching and professional support

Bondarenko is coached by his father Viktor Bondarenko. When Bohdan won the

European Athlete of the Year The European Athlete of the Year award is an annual prize for sportspeople from Europe participating in athletics, including track and field, road running, and cross country running competitions. The election has been organised by the European ...

trophy 2013 his father (and thus trainer) received a trainer's award of the

European Athletics Association The European Athletic Association (EAA, more commonly known as European Athletics) is the governing body for athletics in Europe. It is one of the six Area Associations of the world's athletics governing body World Athletics. European Athletics h ...

. In a May 2016 interview for the IAAF's official website, Bondarenko said of his father, "I have always understood him and he has always understood me. Many sportsmen cannot be coached by their parents, but for me he has been very good."

Junior competitions and early senior career

In 2005 he had a jump of 2.15 metres, achieved in September in

Yalta Yalta (: ) is a resort town, resort city on the south coast of the Crimean Peninsula surrounded by the Black Sea. It serves as the administrative center of Yalta Municipality, one of the regions within Crimea. Yalta, along with the rest of Crime ...

, and in January 2006 in

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

, he improved to 2.21 on the indoor track. In August 2006 he competed at the 2006 World Junior Championships in

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

. With a jump of 2.14 metres in the qualifying round, he barely managed to reach the final round, where – at age 16 – he was the youngest finalist. Six athletes recorded 2.14 metres, and only two of them reached the final, due to having fewer fouls in the competition. In the final, however, Bondarenko improved greatly to win the bronze medal with a jump of 2.26 metres. The competition was dominated by the duel behind gold medallist

Huang Haiqiang Huang Haiqiang (born 8 February 1988 in Zhejiang) is a Chinese high jumper. He won the 2005 World Youth Championships and the 2006 World Junior Championships, the latter in a personal best jump of 2.32 metres. He competed at the 2007 World Cham ...

and silver medallist Niki Palli. In 2007 he improved his indoor best mark to 2.25 at a meet in Kyiv in February. In the outdoor season, he only managed 2.19 metres.

World Junior Champion Outdoors 2008

In 2008, Bondarenko was eligible for his second World Junior Championships. He had not recorded a notable result during the indoor season, but with a jump of 2.25 metres he qualified for the 2008 World Junior Championships in

Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...

, leading the season's list for juniors. This time, all jumpers with 2.14 in the qualifying round passed on to the final. In the final, Bondarenko cleared every height from 2.08 through 2.26 on the first attempt, except for one miss at 2.21 metres. This was enough to win the gold medal, ahead of

Sylwester Bednarek Sylwester Bednarek ( ; born 28 April 1989) is a Polish high jumper. He won the bronze medal at the 2009 World Championships and gold at the 2017 European Indoor Championships. Life and career Bednarek was born in Łódź. He finished fourth ...

, who placed fourth two years earlier, and Miguel Ángel Sancho. Pre-event favorite Karim Samir Lofty disappointed greatly, ending in last place. In the 2008–09 indoor season, Bondarenko recorded a new career best as he jumped 2.27 in February in

Łódź Łódź is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located south-west of Warsaw. Łódź has a population of 655,279, making it the country's List of cities and towns in Polan ...

. Entering the

2009 European Indoor Championships The 2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships was held in Turin, Italy, from Friday, 6 March to Sunday, 8 March 2009. The championships took place at the Oval Lingotto indoor arena

, he managed to equal this height in the qualifying round, which gave him a place in the final. Here, he entered at 2.15, passed 2.20 in his second attempt but failed at 2.25. He ended in ninth and last place.

2012 London Olympics

He set a new personal best of 2.31 on 17 June 2012, jumping in his native Ukraine at Mykolaiv. Bondarenko was a finalist at the

2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

in London on 7 August 2012, clearing 2.29 and finishing in 7th place. Only 2 men jumped higher, as Bondarenko and five other jumpers ended their competition at 2.29, with the places determined by the countback: there was a 3-way tie for the third place bronze medal (based on clearing 2.29 on their first try), with Bondarenko relegated to seventh because he needed two attempts to clear that height.

2013 outdoor season

Bondarenko seems not to have competed on the indoor circuit during the previous years. His indoor best of 2.27 dated to February 2009 and his outdoor personal best (PB) of 2.31 was set in June 2012. He bested that by jumping 2.33 in his first two Diamond League meets in 2013, beginning with the season's first Diamond League meet at Doha, UAE on 10 May, then again at Shanghai, China, on 18 May. He won 8 of his first 9 competitions. After his win at Doha, Bondarenko told EME News that his victory was unexpected: "I had two pre-season training camps in Yevpatoriya where I injured my take-off (right) knee in the end of April. I was able to make only one technical practice one week before my first performance this season. Moreover in Doha I felt discomfort not only in the knee but also in the feet I had operated in 2009. Pain accompanied me at all attempts (in Doha) but such physical conditions became usual for me during last three years" said 23-year-old Ukrainian. Bondarenko then set another new PB on Sunday 30 June, winning the Sainsbury's Grand Prix meeting (a Diamond League competition) in Birmingham, England with a jump of 2.36, which tied the meet record and bested Eric Kynard of the USA, who finished second with a jump of 2.34. Less than a week later, in July 2013, Bondarenko cleared 2.41 metres at another Diamond League meet, the Athletissima, in

Lausanne Lausanne ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest List of towns in Switzerland, city of the Swiss French-speaking Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud, in Switzerland. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway bet ...

, Switzerland. That was the highest jump in the world since 1994. By clearing 2.41, Bondarenko also broke the Ukrainian national record of 2.40, set by

Rudolf Povarnitsyn Rudolf Pavlovich Povarnitsyn (; born 13 June 1962, in Votkinsk, Udmurtia) is a Ukrainian high jumper. He represented the Soviet Union and Ukraine. Career Competing in the high jump, his greatest achievement was a bronze medal at the 1988 ...

in 1985 (which was then a new world record.) Bondarenko was pushed to 2.41 by American Eric Kynard. They were the only jumpers remaining after 2.33 and engaged in a "passing" duel- Kynard took the lead with a first attempt clearance of 2.33, Bondarenko passed, but then cleared 2.35 on his first attempt. Kynard missed at 2.35, then passed to 2.37, clearing on his first attempt to retake the lead as Bondarenko passed. When Bondarenko then cleared 2.39 on his first try, Kynard missed and then used his two remaining attempts at 2.41 (unsuccessfully.) Bondarenko cleared 2.41 (7 feet, 11 inches) on his third try (only his 7th jump of the competition): video of his 2.41 clearance shows him taking off nearly 4 feet away from the bar and clearing it cleanly (if only barely). He then made three excellent attempts at a new world record of 2.46—on each of his three attempts he succeeded in getting his head, shoulders and back over the bar, but not his hips. On Friday 26 July, competing in yet another Diamond League meet – the Anniversary Games in London's 2012 Olympic Stadium – Bondarenko again bested Eric Kynard, winning with a jump of 2.38 (7' 9-3/4") to Kynard's 2.36. Bondarenko did not even begin jumping until 2.28 (7' 5-3/4"), the highest "opening" height ever in a Diamond League event. He secured the win after just his third jump and then had the bar raised to 2.43 (7' 11 1/2") – one centimeter above the European record set by Sweden's

in 1987. He made one excellent attempt and despite knocking the bar off, he felt confident enough to have the bar raised for a world record attempt of 2.47 (8 feet, one and one-quarter inch), threatening the 20-year world record of 2.45 held by Cuba's

. Although his two attempts at 2.47 failed, the experience was rewarding.

2013 Moscow World Championship

In August, Bondarenko competed at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Russia. With three athletes (the other two being

Derek Drouin Derek Drouin (born March 6, 1990) is a Canadian track and field athlete who competes in the high jump. He won gold at the 2016 Summer Olympics, and was the 2015 World Champion. He also won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2015 Pan A ...

and

) still jumping at 2.41m, Bondarenko was the only one to clear that mark, thus equalling his personal best and world leading jump and breaking

's Championship record. He needed to in order to win the competition, since he had passed 2.38, a height cleared by both his opponents. Drouin failed his 3 attempts at 2.41, while Barshim, after his first attempt, saved the remaining two for the following height of 2.44 (which Bondarenko had passed), but couldn't get it, settling for silver. With the gold medal around his neck, Bondarenko had another go at the world record, once again unsuccessfully. Bondarenko was awarded the 2013

trophy.

2014

Early in the season,

Ivan Ukhov Ivan Sergeyevich Ukhov (; born 29 March 1986) is a Russian high jumper. He won a gold medal at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships and is a two-time European Athletics Indoor Championships, European Indoor champion (2009 and 2011). He was ...

and then

equalled Bondarenko's 2.41m making for the trio of contemporary athletes having cleared the third highest height in history. May 11, Tokyo (1st, 2.40m). Bondarenko won the Diamond League meeting in Tokyo with a jump of 2.40m (7 ft-10.5in) in Tokyo on Sunday, beating the Olympic Champion Ivan Ukhov, who could manage "only" 2.34m (just two days after he cleared 2.41m to win in Doha on 9 May.) June 5, Rome (2nd, 2.34m). All of the top high jumpers were entered in the "Golden Gala" Diamond League meet in Rome. After clearing 2.34m, Bondarenko elected to pass attempts at 2.37 and 2.41, the later which was cleared by Mutaz Essa Barshim. Bondarenko then had three close attempts at what would have been a European record of 2.43m. June 8, Marrakesh (1st, 2.39m). Competing at the 7th Mohammed VI d’Athletisme IAAF World Challenge meeting in Marrakesh, Morocco on 8 June, Bondarenko won the meet when cleared 2.39m on his second try – just his fourth leap of the entire competition, having made first try jumps at 2.25m and 2.33m. The 2.39m is an African "All Comers" record, the highest jump ever on the African continent. Bondarenko then had the bar raised to world record height of 2.46m and made three unsuccessful attempts. Traditionally held in Rabat, this year the Mohammed VI d’Athletisme meeting was moved to the Grand Stade de Marrakech. June 14, New York City (1st, 2.42m). The following week at the

Adidas Grand Prix The USATF New York Grand Prix is an annual athletics meeting held at Icahn Stadium in New York City, New York. The event was part of the IAAF Grand Prix from 2007 to 2009. For 2010 it was promoted to the top-level Diamond League through 2015. ...

Icahn Stadium Icahn Stadium is a 5,000 seat track and field and multipurpose facility located on Randalls Island in Manhattan, New York City. Designed within the former site of Downing Stadium, it opened on April 23, 2005. Icahn Stadium is named after Ame ...

, on Saturday afternoon June 14, Bondarenko and Barshim were locked in a tight competition, with both improving to 2.42m (on their first attempts), equalling

Patrick Sjoberg Patrick may refer to: *Patrick (given name), list of people and fictional characters with this name *Patrick (surname), list of people with this name People *Saint Patrick (c. 385–c. 461), Christian saint * Gilla Pátraic (died 1084), Patrick o ...

's former world record from 1987 as the second best jumpers outdoors in history. khov and Carlo Thränhardt (1988) have also jumped that height under more controlled conditions indoors.">Carlo_Thränhardt.html" ;"title="khov and Carlo Thränhardt">khov and Carlo Thränhardt (1988) have also jumped that height under more controlled conditions indoors.Still in competition, Bondarenko—whose clearance of 2.42m was just his fifth jump of the day—then passed while Barshim took one failed attempt at 2.44m. Saving his strength, Bondarenko took all three of his attempts at a world record height of 2.46, while Barshim took his remaining two attempts at 2.46m to try to beat

's world record of 2.45m that has stood since 1993. Almost incidental, Bondarenko won the competition on fewer misses. (Barshim clearing of 2.42 and attempt on 2.46 were much better than Bodarenko's.) Bondarenko now joins Sjoberg in possession of the European record. The 2.42m mark (7 feet 11 & one-quarter inch) is also the United States "Open" record - the highest jumps ever made in North America. In August, Bondarenko took gold at the 2014 European Championships in 2014 European Athletics Championships – Men's high jump">2014 European Championships in 2015 World Championships in

, Bondarenko tied for silver with China's

Zhang Guowei, behind Canada's

. He won the bronze medal at the Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump">2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Rio 2016, were an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events i ...

in Rio de Janeiro.

Competition record

International competitions

Recognition

European Athlete of the Month The European Athlete of the Month is an award that can be won by athletes participating in events within the sport of Sport of athletics, athletics organised by the European Athletic Association (EAA). The election has been organised since 2007. ...

for May 2013 of the

European Athletic Association The European Athletic Association (EAA, more commonly known as European Athletics) is the governing body for athletics in Europe. It is one of the six Area Associations of the world's athletics governing body World Athletics. European Athletics h ...

for June 2013 of the

for July 2013 of the

for September 2013 of the

(2013) * Track & Field Athlete of the Year (2013) * Flotrack’s Athlete of the Year (2013) *

for June 2014 of the

Bondarenko and Spotakova named Athletes of the Month for June
, ''

''/''

'', 14 July 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2024.

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bondarenko, Bohdan 1989 births Living people Ukrainian male high jumpers Athletes from Kharkiv Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics Olympic athletes for Ukraine European champions for Ukraine World Athletics Championships athletes for Ukraine European Athletics Championships medalists World Athletics Championships medalists Olympic bronze medalists for Ukraine Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field) Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field) European Athlete of the Year winners Track & Field News Athlete of the Year winners FISU World University Games gold medalists for Ukraine Athletes (track and field) at the 2019 European Games European Games medalists in athletics European Games bronze medalists for Ukraine European Games gold medalists for Ukraine Diamond League winners IAAF Continental Cup winners World Athletics Championships winners Medalists at the 2011 Summer Universiade Dynamo (Ukraine) sportspeople 21st-century Ukrainian sportsmen