India, Aug. 5 -- Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the world record holder, won Olympic gold at the Stade de France and intrigued the world with her unique habit of lying under a green bedroll between jumps, seemingly "napping or meditating."

Surprising one and all with her unique method at the Paris Olympics 2024, Mahuchikh explained her routine as a way to relax and focus by counting numbers or watching clouds. This method, which helped her clear a 2-meter bar to secure gold, started in 2018 when she won the Youth Olympic Games.

"I feel comfortable when I lay and sometimes I can watch the clouds," Mahuchikh told TIME Magazine. "Sometimes I can count numbers, 1,2,3,4, or breathe in, breathe out. It's like, relax, [and] not thi...