High jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh wins Ukraine's 1st individual gold of the Paris Olympics

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — It was a night for war-torn Ukraine to rejoice.

Thousands of Ukrainians watched on YouTube as high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh won gold for the country she was forced to flee, then celebrated with two teammates who also medaled at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.

Iryna Gerashchenko shared bronze in the high jump and Mykhaylo Kokhan then claimed a bronze in the hammer throw, too — doubling Ukraine's Olympic medal haul from three to six in the span of about an hour.

“Medals are very important for Ukraine because the people are having a very happy time, and they can cheer us and they can celebrate this with us and not think about the war for one day,” Kokhan said.

Mahuchikh, who left her home due to the war with Russia, earned Ukraine’s first individual gold of these Summer Games, following a victory in women’s team saber fencing on Saturday.

She is from Dnipro, a city of nearly 1 million located only about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the front lines of the war. When Russia invaded, she piled as much as she could into her car and left town quickly. On her way out, she heard gunfire and could, at times, see shells raining down miles away.

The next time she returns, it will be as an Olympic champion.

Once the medals were assured, Mahuchikh and Gerashchenko ran down the track waiving Ukrainian flags, prompting a standing ovation at the Stade de France.

Then, when the two high jumpers were given special permission to run over and embrace Kokhan, all three Ukrainian medalists posed together with their blue and yellow flags.

It wasn't all about celebrating, though. Mahuchikh also recalled the "almost 500 sportsman (who) died in this war.

“They will never compete. They will never celebrate. They will never feel this atmosphere," she said, adding that her gold medal is "really for all of them.”

Mahuchikh succeeds Tokyo gold medalist Maria Lasitskene, a Russian who — along with everyone else from her country — has been banned from track and field’s international events since the country invaded Ukraine.

Russian rockets and missiles constantly knock out Ukraine's power grid. But Gerashchenko said that the electricity was working on Sunday,

“Today we have internet, we have light and on the YouTube channel, around 160,000 people (watched) online,” she said.

Mahuchikh cleared 2.00 meters to finish ahead of Nicola Olyslagers of Australia, who also cleared 2.00 but then failed all three of her attempts at 2.02.

Eleanor Patterson of Australia and Gerashchenko shared the bronze at 1.95.

Mahuchikh considered jumping again and could have tried to break the world record of 2.10 that she set less than a month ago in another Paris stadium. But then she stopped and started celebrating.

Mahuchikh was asked why she didn't make any further attempts.

“Why not? I was Olympic champion,” she said.

Mahuchikh also gained curiosity for the way she lies down and wraps herself up in a type of sleeping bag between jumps. She said it helps her relax: “Sometimes I can watch the clouds...not think about that I’m at a stadium.”

Mahuchikh claimed the first Olympic gold of her career, adding to the bronze she won in Tokyo. She also won gold at last year’s world championships.

“It’s all medals for our country, Ukraine, for our defenders," she said. "Only thank(s) (to) them we have opportunity to be here.”

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Mykhaylo Kokhan, of Ukraine, competes in the men's hammer throw final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Mykhaylo Kokhan, of Ukraine, competes in the men's hammer throw final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Yaroslava Mahuchikh, of Ukraine, celebrates winning the gold medal in women's high jump at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Mykhaylo Kokhan, of Ukraine, reacts after his third place finish in the men's hammer throw final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Iryna Gerashchenko, left, and Yaroslava Mahuchikh, both of Ukraine, take a victory lap after Mahuchikh won the gold and Gerashchenko won the bronze medal in the women's high jump at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Gold medalist Yaroslava Mahuchikh, second from right, of Ukraine, jumps with silver medalist Nicola Olyslagers, right, of Australia, and bronze medal winners Iryna Gerashchenko, second from left, of Ukraine, and Eleanor Patterson, left, of Australia, following the women's high jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Gold medalist Yaroslava Mahuchikh, and bronze medalist Iryna Gerashchenko, both of Ukraine, celebrate after the the women's high jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Yaroslava Mahuchikh, right, of Ukraine, is congraulated by Nicola Olyslagers, of Australia, left, after winning the women's high jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Iryna Gerashchenko, of Ukraine, competes in the women's high jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Nicola Olyslagers, of Australia, reacts in the women's high jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Yaroslava Mahuchikh, of Ukraine, competes in the women's high jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Yaroslava Mahuchikh, of Ukraine, prepares to compete in the women's high jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Yaroslava Mahuchikh, of Ukraine, competes in the women's high jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Yaroslava Mahuchikh, of Ukraine, rests before competing in the women's high jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Yaroslava Mahuchikh, of Ukraine, competes in the women's high jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

MEDIA, Pa. (AP) — Mourners have begun to arrive for the funeral for John and Matthew Gaudreau at a church in suburban Philadelphia on Monday.

A bus brought family members and players to St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Media, Pennsylvania, and dozens of others walked in for the service more than two hours before its scheduled start at noon.

The Gaudreau brothers died when they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles in their home state of New Jersey. John, an All-Star for the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets known as “Johnny Hockey,” and Matthew, who played collegiate hockey alongside his brother at Boston College, died Aug. 29 on the eve of their sister’s wedding.

Countless members of the hockey community from Columbus to South Jersey to Boston College are expected to join family and friends for the funeral, including the entire Blue Jackets team, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and former BC coach Jerry York.

The brothers have been mourned across the sports world, including Columbus, Ohio, where Gaudreau signed a free-agent deal in 2022 with the small-market Blue Jackets over more lucrative free-agent offers from other teams, including the New Jersey Devils. Fans and Blue Jackets players gathered last week for an emotional candlelight vigil, and a similar gathering was held in Calgary.

“The way they carried themselves around campus and the enjoyment that they had each and every day around the guys, they were really fun to be around,” Boston College associate coach Mike Ayers said. “They were both very, very talented hockey players but they were great people to be around and made everything around them fun.”

A GoFundMe for Matthew’s widow, Madeline, to support her and their baby due in December, has surpassed $645,000, with donations from nearly 9,000 people pouring in, many from NHL players and their families.

“He didn’t make the millions that Johnny did and doesn’t have the pension from the Players’ Association,” said Michael Myers of the ECHL’s Worcester Railers, for whom Matthew played two seasons. “It’s important that the hockey community recognizes that and embraces that to help Matthew’s family.”

The Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road in Oldmans Township about 8 p.m. when a man driving an SUV in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind, according to New Jersey State Police. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said the driver, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and faces two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle. He has been jailed pending a Sept. 13 hearing.

The brothers have been celebrated on various social media platforms since their deaths. Katie Gaudreau, the little sister who was to be married the day after the brothers were killed, has posted pictures of her family in happier times on social media.

Over the weekend, it was an Instagram video captioned “Birds for the Gauderau boys," over a clip of John Gaudreau opening his winter coat to flash an Eagles jersey as he went through security ahead of an NHL game. She also posted a tribute to a family slideshow called “That day” where she wrote how she would “do anything to tell my big brothers I love them one more time.”

Devin Joyce, the expected groom and a collegiate hockey player, wrote of his promise “to take the absolute best care of your little sister.”

He added: “I know I never said it but I loved you guys so much. I'm so lucky to have called you two my brothers for as long as I did.”

Whyno reported from Washington.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Mourners arrive for a funeral for Columbus Blue Jackets hockey player John Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Media, Pa., Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

A memorial for Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, who died last week when they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles, is shown in Salem County, N.J, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.(Jessica Griffin/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

Shown is a makeshift memorial for NHL hockey player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew who were killed by a suspected drunken driver as they bicycled on a rural road, Sept. 5, 2024, in Oldmans Township , N.J., Thursday. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Fans attend a vigil for former Calgary Flames player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew in Calgary, Alberta, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Columbus Blue Jackets player Cole Sillinger, center, reacts during the candlelight vigil to honor Columbus Blue Jackets hockey player Johnny Gaudreau, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2024, outside of Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed by a motor vehicle last week while riding bicycles. (AP Photo/Joe Maiorana)

Shiloh Rivera, left, mourns with Hylas Stemen, center, and Amanda Rivera of Columbus, at a memorial set up by fans for Blue Jackets hockey player Johnny Gaudreau in Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 30, 2024. Gaudreau, along with his brother Matthew, was fatally struck by a motorist while riding his bicycle on Thursday. (AP Photo/Joe Maiorana)

A tribute to Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau is seen before a baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

FILE - Quinnipiac goalie Michael Garteig (34) makes the save on a shot by Boston College forward Matthew Gaudreau (21) during the first period of an NCAA Frozen Four semifinal NCAA college hockey game Thursday, April 7, 2016, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

Hylas Stemen, facing, of Columbus, hugs Dave Fetzer at a memorial set up by fans for Blue Jackets hockey player Johnny Gaudreau in Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 30, 2024. Gaudreau, along with his brother Matthew, was fatally struck by a motorist while riding his bicycle on Thursday. (AP Photo/Joe Maiorana)

FILE - Unted States' Johnny Gaudreau, right, challenges for a puck with Latvia's Janis Jaks during the preliminary round match between Latvia and United States at the Ice Hockey World Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Tuesday, May 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, file)

Boston College NCAA college hockey player Johnny Gaudreau celebrates his goal against Notre Dame during the third period of quarterfinal round match at the Hockey East Tournament in Chestnut Hill, Mass., March 15, 2014. (Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via AP)

Flowers and memorabilia for former Calgary Flames player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew lie on the grass outside the Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Fans attend a vigil for former Calgary Flames player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthewin Calgary, Alberta, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

FILE - Columbus Blue Jackets' Johnny Gaudreau (13) awaits the face-off during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster, file)