After finishing seventh in the high jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Elena Kulichenko is gearing up for a highly anticipated senior season at Georgia.

Kulichenko finished as a bronze medalist in the high jump at the indoor NCAA championships and SEC championships last season, and had a record-setting performance to share the national title in the outdoor meets.

She sat down to provide some insight on these experiences and her goals for the upcoming season, which begins in January.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Q: You’re coming off participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics. What were you able to take away from that experience and how will you bring what you learned from that into this upcoming season?

A: The main goal was just to have fun because it’s all about this sport. If you’re not having fun with it, it doesn’t matter what accomplishments you get, whatever you jump or run, it’s the process. You need to find ways to just enjoy the process. Then when it’s actually the big stage, like the Olympics, nothing changes. That’s what me and my coaches were trying to do the whole season. No matter if it’s a local meet, NCAAs, you should go there with the same mindset.

Q: You finished last season ranked 10th in the world and finished seventh in the high jump at the Paris 2024 games. ​​What in particular did you work on to break through to become one of the best in the world?

A: Coach Bailey got here last year in December. He’s super smart with all the little details that I think I was missing. In high jump, every centimeter matters. And of course my mindset. I think it changed a little bit because after the previous year, I wanted more. Yes, I went to the worlds, I got third at the NCAAs, now I want more.

Q: What has the transition been like from competing internationally and at the highest stage to now returning to school to get ready for the upcoming season?

A: I think it’s easier when you’re in the same place and you have all the coaching staff, familiar people and all the girls around you. In the NCAAs, we kind of know each other already, so I’m already familiar with everyone and everything. But overall, I think that we definitely have more support from the school.

Q: What are your goals for this year?

A: I want the title this year, indoors and outdoors, without sharing. Me and my coach were also talking about the NCAA record. I know that it’s doable, and that would be an amazing way to finish my NCAA career. So that would be 2.01m indoors. If I’m jumping that, I’m going to go crazy. I was so close last year, but I was like, you know what, I’m saving it for this year. And SEC’s of course. It would be more for the team, because I already have the SEC title. But it’s still fun to jump with the girls because the SEC is the toughest conference.

Q: Given your success last year, do you feel any additional pressure or a target on your back going into this season?

A: Not really. I was always really tough on myself already. No matter if people have expectations or not, I know I will be harder on myself than any other person, and I’ll be more upset than any other person if something goes wrong. I’m doing it for myself first. I’m not trying to prove anything to anyone. I love this phrase; your expectations are only your problems. I think when you’re too stressed about what other people think, it’s harder to have fun. Again, that is what the sport is all about.

Q: You are very well known on social media, currently sitting at 88K followers on Instagram. What’s it like having a platform where you can serve as an influencer to so many people?

A: I don’t see myself as an influencer. It’s more like my personal journal. I’m trying to put out some things that are important to me because I like it, not because I’m trying to get money from it or trying to influence someone.

Q: Do you have any strategy and goals for social platforms like Instagram, TikTok and others?

A: I actually have a lot of things to share. It wasn’t easy to get where I am right now, and I had a lot of tough times. I think it would be really helpful to share all those things that I learned and went through. I don’t exactly know how I’m going to do it, but I definitely want to translate it somehow in the future.

Q: Looking back at your career, what has been your favorite memory as Bulldog?

A: I think there’s definitely two. One is last indoors, when we got third as a team, because it was so close. It was amazing because it was our first trophy. But the best moment was definitely winning the title outdoors when I jumped at 1.97m. It was the Olympic standard, and it was my personal record. It was this result that I was aiming for the whole season.

Q: You are now entering your senior season at Georgia. What is a piece of advice you would give to younger jumpers who may be starting their collegiate career?

A: Don’t overthink and just enjoy training. Remember you’re doing it because you like it, not because you have to. Just enjoy the process.

Mikhil Vats is a junior sport management major pursing the sports media certificate.