High jumper Nicola Olyslagers has secured back-to-back victories on the Diamond League circuit as she builds momentum toward September’s World Athletics Championships.
The Central Coast star delivered another world-class performance on Friday night, June 20, clearing two metres to claim gold in Paris.
It was her second straight win following a season-best 2.01m in Stockholm just a week earlier with both wins defeating elite competition.
Building on her Stockholm triumph, Olyslagers rose to the occasion once again in Paris, clearing 2m on her second attempt to defeat a high-calibre field which included Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh.
The reigning Olympic champion and world record holder finished second with 1.97m.
Fellow Australian Eleanor Patterson also cleared 1.97m, but settled for third on countback.
Olyslagers, a two-time Olympic silver medallist, has been steadily regaining her peak form, and while she was pleased with the win, she made it clear her ambitions stretch higher.
“This was a strong performance and I’m grateful for another 2m jump,” she said post-event.
“But I’m chasing bigger goals; I want to break through my personal best and national record.
“That’s what’s driving me right now.”
Her national record stands at 2.03m, and the 28-year-old believes endurance and mental resilience are key to reaching that mark.
In both Paris and Stockholm, she opted to open her competition at 1.91m, a strategy designed to allow her to hit her peak while energy levels are high.
“I usually jump best early in the competition,” she said.
“We’re working on building more strength and stamina so I can maintain that level through to the biggest heights.”
In Stockholm, Olyslagers took a bold approach, skipping 1.97m to go straight to 1.99m — a risk that paid off.
“I was nervous about skipping so many heights, but I trusted myself,” she said after the meet.
“That win taught me a lot – not just about competition, but about belief.
“I know there’s still more in the tank.”
Patterson, who earned her third Diamond League podium finish of the season in Paris, continues to be a strong contender in what has become a golden era for Australian women’s high jump.
The next stop in the Diamond League is Eugene, Oregon, on July 5, where Olyslagers will continue her push toward new heights and global success.
Skaie Hull
