Ukrainian athlete Yuliiya Levchenko goes viral as high jump Barbie
The World Athletics social media account fueled this buzz when they shared a video of Levchenko’s jump during qualifications, tagging her as “High jump Barbie, Ukraine’s Yuliya Levchenko.”
The clip was accompanied by a sped-up version of Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night,” a song from the Barbie soundtrack.
This viral video garnered nearly 1 million views and instantly propelled Levchenko into online fame.
However, despite this newfound popularity, Levchenko’s journey in the championship faced hurdles.
She finished 17th and missed qualification for the final 12-woman round due to a tiebreaker rule. Levchenko had previously won silver at the 2017 World Championships but hadn’t secured an international medal since the 2019 European Indoor Championships.
It was Yaroslava Mahuchikh, her fellow Ukrainian athlete, who clinched the gold on August 27.
The comments section of the original TikTok post exhibited admiration for Levchenko, with some expressing support for Ukraine amidst the ongoing tensions with Russia.
A variety of responses were observed, ranging from light-hearted Barbie-themed jokes to heartfelt pledges of support.
Prominent YouTuber MrBeast left a comment with the phrase “Cuteness overload.” However, this comment drew criticism for being perceived as cringeworthy and creepy, with some comparing it to the infamous “where’s my hug” energy.
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