Yuliya Levchenko
‘What I like about Richard Mille is the idea of bringing together the ‘friends of the brand’. It’s like a team. Some are sportspeople, others are not. There are also artists and actors. I love this vision. It’s almost as if I’ve joined a new family.’
Higher ambitions
Yuliya Levchenko was already catapulted at an early age to being the World Number 2 in Women’s high jump. For the young Ukrainian there’s only one way to go, however – up ! Yuliya devotes all her energy into attaining ever higher ambitions. Blessed with a breathtaking physique, exceptional athletic abilities and a dazzling personality, Yuliya has been a Richard Mille partner since 2018.
A superlative power-to-weight ratio
The brand particularly enjoys working with top-level athletes. Its very personal relationships with its partners, expressed through watches that continually push the boundaries of watchmaking, are strengthened by a shared desire to deliver ever-greater performances. The high jump, in particular, requires absolute precision, perfect technique and an exceptional weight-to-power ratio.
‘I immediately gravitated towards the high jump, most likely because of my height and build (currently 60 kg and 1.79 m). I was already tall for my age at 13, and very slender. From the very beginning, I absolutely loved the high jump. It was like a game for me: trying to put the bar higher and higher without knocking it off, and starting again without ever focusing on the element of performance. It was sheer enjoyment.’
Catapulted to stardom
Born in Kyiv in Ukraine, Yuliya trains tirelessly to become the best in her discipline. Her progress has been meteoric; while it takes most female high jumpers 15 years to jump two metres, Yuliya did it in just seven. She went from a starting height of 1.70 m to a performance of 2.01 m at the 2017 World Championships in London. Voted best female Ukrainian athlete in 2017, she rose to the top of her sport in 2019 by winning the European Athletics U23 and Team Championships.