Nicola Olyslagers and Linden Hall produce winning form ahead of World Athletics Championships
An Aussie pair proved too good for their rivals at the prestigious Diamond League event in Stockholm.
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High jumper Nicola Olyslagers and distance runner Linden Hall are hitting top form ahead of September’s World Athletics Championships following wins at the Stockholm Diamond League meet.
Two-time Olympic silver medallist Olyslagers soared to a season-equalling 2.01m to beat Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh (1.99m)
“The competition was great,” Olyslagers said after beating Mahuchikh, who won gold in the event at last year’s Paris Olympics.
“It was the first time I’ve skipped so many heights. I skipped 1.97 (metres) to go to 1.99, and it required me to be bold.
“I was a bit afraid in doing it but I had the faith to keep going. This victory has taught me a lot about myself and that the best is still to come.
“I got injured here last year and it took courage to come back and go ‘no, this is a great competition’, so to win was to win over my fears, so it was a really great day.”
Olyslagers’ fellow Australian Eleanor Patterson bowed out at 1.95m to finish equal fourth.
Meanwhile, Victorian Hall ran an impressive final lap in the women’s 3000m to beat Uganda’s Sarah Chelangat in a personal best time of 8:30.01 and claim a Diamond League win for the first time.
“I ran a big 5km PB recently, so I was hoping that would translate into a good 3km,” Hall said.
“I didn’t feel too good in the early stages of the race but luckily, I came good at the end.
“I did a lot of the work mostly by myself in the last kilometre, so it was really encouraging to get a five-second personal best.
“It’s been a good season so far and a nice confidence booster.”
Other strong performances from Australians included a silver-medal effort from pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall, who cleared 5.90m to claim second behind Olympic champion Mondo Duplantis, who sett a new world record of 6.28m.
Bronze medals went to Ky Robinson, who produced a personal best of 12:58.38 in the 5000m, and his fellow Queenslander Matthew Denny, who placed third in the discus with a throw of 68.14m.
Originally published as Nicola Olyslagers and Linden Hall produce winning form ahead of World Athletics Championships
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