Diamond Race leader Bondarenko: 'Fighting sinus problems'

The high jump Diamond Race is heating up at the Brussels finale with four athletes still in with a chance to take the overall victory. Bohdan Bondarenko is leading the standings, but the Ukrainian has a chink in his armour after struggling with sinus problems since the Rio Olympics.

“I will try and make the most of it,” Bondarenko said at the press conference the day before the AG Insurance Memorial Van Damme. “A week before the Games I started getting sinus problems, caused by an infected tooth. I took antibiotics in Rio, but I wasn’t at my best.

“Afterwards I jumped in Lausanne, hoping it would get better and that was the case. I now quit the antibiotics but it wasn’t perfect. I am still taking aspirines to fight the pain. After the season I will definitely get a surgery. The only good news is that I’m eating less. I already lost two to three kilos,” Bondarenko jokes.

The Ukrainian, with a personal best of 2m42, is leading the Diamond Race with 29 points. He is leading Erik Kynard by three points, with a five point gap to third-placed Mutaz Essa Barshim and Robbie Grabarz six points back.

Diamond Race leader Bondarenko: ‘Fighting sinus problems’

The high jump Diamond Race is heating up at the Brussels finale with four athletes still in with a chance to take the overall victory. Bohdan Bondarenko is leading the standings, but the Ukrainian has a chink in his armour after struggling with sinus problems since the Rio Olympics.