Central Coast high jumper Nicola Olyslagers (née McDermott) has once again made the Coast and Australia proud, capturing a silver medal in a thrilling Olympic final in Paris.
Competing in the early hours of Monday AEST, Olyslagers, the Tokyo 2021 silver medalist, was involved in an intense showdown with Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh.
Both athletes cleared a height of two metres, but Mahuchikh ultimately secured the gold medal on a countback, leaving Olyslagers with the silver.
The competition was fiercely contested, with Mahuchikh and Olyslagers pushing each other to their limits in what will be remembered as one of the standout events of the games.
The event also saw Australia’s Eleanor Patterson and Ukraine’s Iryna Gerashchenko share the bronze medal, both achieving a jump of 1.95m.
The podium finish by Olyslagers and Patterson marks an historic achievement for Australia, as it is the first time in 56 years that two Australians have stood together on the Olympic podium in an athletics event.
In her usual upbeat and gracious manner, Olyslagers took a moment to thank the crowd for their vocal support, which she said had spurred her on during the competition.
She also appreciated her fellow competitors, praising the spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship that characterised the event.
The Olympic silver is yet another milestone in Olyslagers’ career, adding to her growing legacy as one of Australia’s premier high jumpers.
She celebrated the achievement with her family and her joy was evident, reflecting both her personal triumph and the pride of her supporters back home.
David Abrahams