Sofia Yakushina: The Rising Star Reshaping Women’s Combined Events

Born: January 7, 2006 | Birthplace: Krasnodar Krai, Russia | Events: Heptathlon, Pentathlon, Long Jump

From a Russian Village to the World Stage

Sofia Yakushina’s journey to becoming one of the most exciting young multi-event athletes in the world began in the most humble of circumstances—a small stanitsa (Cossack village) in southern Russia, nestled near the shores of the Black Sea. In this rural community, where resources were scarce and elite training facilities nonexistent, a young girl with extraordinary athletic potential would begin to forge her path toward international recognition.

Yakushina’s introduction to track and field came through her father, who served as her first coach. The daily routine was simple but demanding: a ten-minute walk home from school, followed by a thirty-minute drive to track practice—a testament to the family’s commitment to nurturing her talent. In those early days, the limited equipment available in her small town meant Yakushina could only practice hurdles and long jump alongside standard running events. But even with these constraints, her natural ability began to shine through.

Within a year, she transitioned to competing as an 800-meter runner, demonstrating the versatility that would later define her career. Eventually, Yakushina began combining her individual event talents into multi-event competitions, scoring well enough to capture the attention of regional selectors. The invitation to join the Krasnodar regional track team as a heptathlete marked a pivotal turning point—and required a difficult decision.

At just 14 years old, Yakushina made the courageous choice to move alone to Krasnodar, the regional capital, to train with a new coach and access better facilities. This decision, made at an age when most teenagers are focused on schoolwork and social lives, speaks volumes about her dedication and maturity. It was a sacrifice that would pay dividends in the years to come.

Breakthrough in Russia

Yakushina’s development in Krasnodar was rapid. Training under more experienced coaching and with access to proper equipment for all seven heptathlon events, she began to refine her technique across the disciplines that would become her strengths: the long jump, high jump, 200 meters, and hurdles.

In November 2023, Yakushina announced herself on the national stage by winning the “Queen of Russian Sports” heptathlon competition, scoring an impressive 6,014 points—edging out second-place finisher Valeria Moskvitina by a single point in a dramatic finish. This victory served notice that Russia had a potential star on their hands.

Her momentum continued into 2024, when she captured the silver medal at the Russian Athletics Championships in the heptathlon. At just 18 years old, finishing as national runner-up against more experienced competitors demonstrated that Yakushina was ready to compete at the highest levels.

However, the geopolitical landscape facing Russian athletes complicated her path forward. With Russian competitors largely banned from international competition due to sanctions related to the conflict in Ukraine, the young athlete faced a difficult reality: her talent might never be showcased on the world’s biggest stages if she remained tied exclusively to Russian athletics.

A New Chapter in America

In August 2024, following her silver medal performance at the Russian Championships, Yakushina received interest from Texas A&M University—one of the premier track and field programs in the United States under legendary head coach Pat Henry. Initially, she didn’t respond to the American program’s outreach. But when friends who had also competed at the Russian Championships mentioned they were planning to continue their careers in America and asked if she was interested, Yakushina reconsidered.

The process moved quickly. Texas A&M coaches helped facilitate her English examination and visa application. By mid-December 2024—just before Christmas—Yakushina had relocated to College Station, Texas. As she later described it, the transition was “very quick and very unpredictable.”

For Pat Henry, a coaching legend with over 50 years of experience, Yakushina represented a first: she was one of two Russian athletes to join his program that year, alongside pole vaulter Aleksandr Solovev. Both would go on to make immediate, historic impacts.

A Historic Freshman Season (2025)

Indoor Campaign

Yakushina wasted no time making her mark in American collegiate athletics. During the indoor season, she competed in five meets, securing three second-place finishes in pentathlon events along the way.

At the SEC Indoor Championships—her first conference championship at any level in the United States—Yakushina delivered a silver medal performance in the pentathlon with a personal-best 4,556 points. This score vaulted her to No. 2 on Texas A&M’s all-time indoor pentathlon list.

Her long jump performance during the pentathlon was particularly memorable: on her third and final attempt, she recorded a huge personal best of 6.42 meters (21-0.75), moving her into fourth place on the A&M all-time list for the event.

The indoor season culminated at the NCAA Championships, where Yakushina earned a runner-up finish in the pentathlon—the first top-two finish for a freshman in the event since 2014. She earned First-Team All-America honors, an extraordinary achievement for a first-year athlete still adjusting to a new country, language, and collegiate system.

For her indoor efforts, Yakushina was named SEC Freshman Field Athlete of the Year.

Outdoor Dominance

If Yakushina’s indoor season was impressive, her outdoor campaign was historic.

At the 44 Farms Team Invitational in April 2025—her first outdoor heptathlon as a collegian—Yakushina didn’t just win; she rewrote the record books. Carrying 3,634 points into the final day of competition, she opened with a wind-aided 6.40-meter long jump for the win, followed by a personal-best javelin throw of 43.07 meters (141-3) and a strong 2:12.72 finish in the 800 meters.

Her final tally: 6,260 points—the highest heptathlon total ever recorded by a freshman in NCAA history. The performance also ranked her 10th on the all-time NCAA collegiate list and debuted her at No. 3 on Texas A&M’s program records.

Her individual event personal bests during that record-setting competition included:

• 100m Hurdles: 13.51 seconds
• 200m: 23.48 seconds
• Javelin: 43.07m (141-4)
• 800m: 2:12.72

The performance earned her SEC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors.

At the SEC Outdoor Championships in May, Yakushina continued her dominance by winning the heptathlon with 6,075 points—becoming the first freshman to claim the conference heptathlon title since 2018. She won the long jump (6.35m/20-10), javelin (40.00m/131-2), 800m (2:14.41), and 200m events within the competition. She also earned a bronze medal in the standalone long jump event.

For her outdoor achievements, Yakushina was named SEC Outdoor Freshman Field Athlete of the Year—making her the first athlete to sweep both the indoor and outdoor freshman honors in the same academic year.

NCAA Championships

At the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Yakushina faced a field that included 2023 champion Pippi Lotta Enok of Oklahoma and Georgia’s Aaliyah O’Brien. In what became one of the closest finishes in meet history among athletes scoring above 6,000 points, Yakushina finished third, earning First-Team All-America honors in the heptathlon.

By the end of her freshman season, Yakushina had firmly established herself among the top heptathletes in collegiate history and a genuine contender for Olympic glory.

Personal Bests and Current Rankings

Heptathlon/Pentathlon

Individual Events (Personal Bests)

World Athletics Rankings (Current)

• #39 Women’s Heptathlon
• #137 Women’s Long Jump
• #355 Women’s High Jump
• #410 Women’s 100m Hurdles
• #518 Women’s 200m

Texas A&M All-Time Records

Yakushina has quickly etched her name throughout the Texas A&M record books:

• #2 Indoor Women’s Pentathlon (4,556 points)
• #3 Outdoor Women’s Heptathlon (6,260 points)
• #4 Indoor Women’s Long Jump (6.42m/21-0.75)
• #4 Outdoor Women’s Long Jump (6.47m/21-2.75)

The 2026 Season and Beyond

Yakushina entered her sophomore season at Texas A&M—now listed as a junior for eligibility purposes—continuing to build on her remarkable foundation. During the 2026 indoor season, she has remained a key contributor to the Aggies’ relay efforts, running the anchor leg on the women’s 4x400m relay team, and has continued competing in individual events including the long jump and hurdles.

At the Ted Nelson Invitational in January 2026, she won the women’s long jump with a mark of 6.39m (20-11.75) and contributed to a 4x400m relay victory. Her 4x400m relay split helped the team set a time of 3:31.72 at the Corky Classic, demonstrating her continued value as both an individual performer and team contributor.

International Representation: A New Flag

In summer 2025, a significant development reshaped Yakushina’s international future. She accepted Turkish citizenship through Türkiye’s athlete naturalization program, a decision driven by her desire to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“Yes, there was such an opportunity, and I jumped at it,” Yakushina told TASS when asked if Olympic aspirations motivated her decision. “For my career, this is the right and necessary decision.”

The move sparked significant controversy in Russia, where officials expressed frustration at losing a homegrown talent. Russian athletics figures argued that her development occurred entirely within their system and suggested Türkiye should provide compensation for her training and development costs. The situation was dubbed the “Sofia Crisis” in some media reports.

Yakushina has stated she will retain Russian citizenship while competing internationally for Türkiye, and she continues to compete for Texas A&M at the collegiate level. The transfer of allegiance process under World Athletics regulations may take time to complete, as objections from former federations can delay the process for up to three years.

The Athlete: Strengths and Style

Those who have watched Yakushina compete note her exceptional consistency across events—a critical skill in combined events where a single poor performance can derail an entire competition.

As she has acknowledged, shot put remains her weakest event. However, her technical prowess in the long jump, high jump, and sprints more than compensates. Her long jump is particularly formidable; her personal best of 6.47 meters would be competitive in standalone collegiate long jump competitions.

“The hardest part is to be consistent everywhere because sometimes if you start bad, you need to forget about it, switch your mind and do another event because usually it has an impact on the next two events,” Yakushina explained in an interview. “It’s also hard mentally to do seven events because you’re always counting the points, comparing yourself with each other and focus is a hard part of the heptathlon.”

This mental fortitude—the ability to reset and focus regardless of circumstances—has been a hallmark of her young career.

Honors and Awards

2025 Season:

• NCAA Freshman Heptathlon Record (6,260 points)
• SEC Outdoor Freshman Field Athlete of the Year
• SEC Indoor Freshman Field Athlete of the Year
• SEC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week (April 15, 2025)
• NCAA First-Team All-American (Indoor Pentathlon)
• NCAA First-Team All-American (Outdoor Heptathlon)
• SEC Indoor Pentathlon Silver Medalist
• SEC Outdoor Heptathlon Champion
• SEC Outdoor Long Jump Bronze Medalist
• All-SEC First Team (Outdoor Heptathlon)
• All-SEC Second Team (Indoor Pentathlon)
• All-SEC Third Team (Outdoor Long Jump)

Pre-Collegiate:

• 2024 Russian Athletics Championships – Heptathlon Silver Medalist
• 2023 “Queen of Russian Sports” – Heptathlon Champion

Connect with Sofia

• Instagram: @yakuushina (20K+ followers)
• World Athletics Profile: Sophia Yakushina
• Texas A&M Athletics: Official Bio

Looking Ahead

At just 20 years old, Sofia Yakushina has already accomplished what many athletes spend entire careers pursuing: national titles, conference championships, NCAA records, and All-America recognition. Yet by every indication, she is only beginning.

Head coach Pat Henry, who has mentored numerous Olympic medalists throughout his legendary career, has stated publicly that he believes Yakushina has Olympic potential—potentially as soon as the 2028 Los Angeles Games. With her newfound pathway to international competition through Türkiye, that dream is now firmly within reach.

The young woman who once practiced hurdles and long jump with limited equipment in a small Russian village is now positioned to compete on the sport’s grandest stages. Her story—of family sacrifice, personal determination, and the courage to pursue excellence across continents—serves as an inspiration to aspiring athletes everywhere.

As Yakushina continues to develop at Texas A&M under world-class coaching and competition, the question is not whether she will reach elite international status, but rather how high she will climb. Given what she has already achieved, the possibilities seem limitless.