Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers soars to high jump world championship gold

Needing a successful jump to continue her pursuit of gold, Aussie Nicola Olyslagers turned to a secret weapon at the indoor world titles.

Aussie high jumper Nicola Olyslager and her famous journal. Photos: AFP/Getty Images

High jumper Nicola Olyslagers has won indoor world championship gold at her first attempt on Saturday (AEDT) in a hugely promising sign ahead of this year’s Paris Olympics.

And the Australian might just have her notebook to thank.

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The 27-year-old cleared 1.99m on her third jump in Glasgow in a showdown with defending indoor and outdoor world champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine.

Mahuchikh then clipped the bar on her third attempt as Gosford native Olyslagers secured her first major gold medal.

Olyslagers often journals during competition. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

And it helped her claim gold at her third attempt. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Silver medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, Olyslagers was able to steady herself at the business end of the competition and took to her trusty journal to help her leap to victory.

She then had a huge smile across her face before beginning the crucial jump.

“I got to 1.99m and the first two attempts were just off,” she said.

“I thought, ‘Wait a minute, I jumped this two weeks ago at the Maurie Plant Meet on a cold night with a headwind. I know I’ve got this inside of me’.

“I had a decision to make – was I going to listen to these doubts, or do what I needed to do?

“I journaled that ‘perfect love casts out fear’ and really thought about that.

Nicola Olyslagers is in peak form in an Olympic year. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Silver medallist Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Australia's Nicola Olyslagers and bronze medallist Slovenia's Lia Apostolovski. (Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP)

“The next thing I knew, I was running and it was rhythmic, and it was a 10 out of 10 jump.

“The gold medal is just the icing on the cake.”

With victory secured, the Australian had three attempts at 2.02m but was unable to clear that height.

Olyslagers’ season best is 2.03m and she is sure to be in the thick of the action in the Paris Games in July.

“I’m feeling really thankful for today,” Olyslagers said.

“I went into the competition willing to challenge myself knowing I hadn’t competed indoors before and I actually wasn’t aiming for the medals today.

🥇WORLD CHAMP - After Olympic silver in Tokyo, Nicola Olyslagers has claimed gold for #Australia at the World Indoor Championships just 146 days out from #Paris2024 💯🇦🇺🙌 pic.twitter.com/WoXbq5vkE3

— John Casey (@JohnCasey2880) March 2, 2024

“Every height, I knew I had to take it as it came and not be overwhelmed by what is around me.

“My competitors looked so comfortable and it took me a while to combat all the doubts that were in my head.”

Compatriot Eleanor Patterson, who took silver at last year’s world championships behind Mahuchikh, withdrew from this event as she attempts to discover her best form for Paris.

Olyslagers had similar sentiments, admitting she wouldn’t be celebrating this gold medal, instead returning to training on Sunday (AEDT) as part of her Olympic quest.