On a night where rain battered the stadium and Olympic champions faltered, dual Olympic medallist, Nicola Olyslagers, a New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder, rose above the conditions to share the top spot in the Women’s High Jump at the Lausanne Diamond League, a highlight in a string of gritty Australian performances in Switzerland.

Olyslagers (NSWIS, Matt Horsnell) showed her trademark composure in difficult conditions, sharing top honours after clearing 1.91m on her first attempt. With the rain making the surface treacherous and approaches less than ideal, the Central Coast product was unable to progress beyond 1.94m, but her one and only clearance ensured she finished level with Poland’s Maria Zodzic and Germany’s Christina Honsel at the top of the standings.

Nicola Olyslagers soars into the final of the women's high jump at the 2024 Olympic Games.

“I decided to be bold and start high like I usually do when it’s good conditions. And when the rain started pouring down, then I was thinking, have I made the right decision?” Olyslagers said.

“In the end it works because the one jump was the winning jump. It’s always special because no matter what the conditions are, you’re with your people trying to overcome the bar.”

Compatriot and 2022 world champion Eleanor Patterson (NSWIS, Fuzz Caan) also handled the challenging runway to clear 1.91m, placing fourth on countback. The difficult weather told across the field, with several names faltering, including Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) who retired early after passing in her opening height after first failed attempt, highlighting the impact of the conditions.

In a race that was all about Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson and her comeback to racing, Australia’s newest track record holder Claudia Hollingsworth (VIC, Craig Mottram) held her own in the Women’s 800m, finishing seventh in 1:58.81 for her fifth fastest time of her career.  Hodgkinson stormed to victory with a meeting record of 1:55.69, while home crowd favourite Audrey Werro (SUI) finished behind in 1:57.34.

In the 800m B final, former national record holder Catriona Bissett (VIC, Trevor Painter) led the Australian charge, clocking 2:01.18 for sixth place, with Bendere Oboya (VIC, Craig Mottram) finishing eighth in 2:03.22. The tightly bunched race was decided in the final strides, with Slovakia’s Gabriela Gajanova taking the win in 2:00.03.

In the Women’s Javelin Throw, global medallist-turned-doctor Mackenzie Little (NSWIS, Angus McEntyre) finished fifth with a best throw of 56.15m, maintaining her reputation as one of the world’s top throwers. The Australian opened with her top-mark before struggling to build on the distance, while victory went to Serbia’s Adriana Vilagos(63.02m) as the only athlete to throw further than 60m.

Backflipping Liam Adcock (QLD) produced a best of 7.50m to place eighth in a field stacked with global medallists. Battling rain-slicked takeoff boards, Adcock found consistency across his first thee rounds, highlighted by his best attempt in round two. A subdued competition, with no competitors coming close to their season’s best, Uzbekistan’s Anvar Anvarov claimed victory with 7.84m, while Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer (7.72m) and Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle (7.71m) completed the podium.

Jack Rayner (VIC, Nic Bideau) braved the tricky conditions to finish 16th in the 5000m with a performance of 13:31.22, while the Australian Women’s 4x100m Relay team consisting of Ella Connolly (NSWIS, Andrew Murphy), Bree Rizzo (QLD, Ryan Hoffman), Kristie Edwards (NSWIS, Andrew Murphy) and Torrie Lewis (QLD, Laurent Meuwly) clocked 43.24 for fourth place, with just over 0.3-seconds separating them from gold.

In the non-Diamond League events of the night, a trio of Australian sprinters impressed with Torrie Lewis (QLD, Laurent Meuwly) racing to win the 100m A Final(11.31, -0.3), while rising star Leah O’Brien (WA, Braiden Clarke), Australia’s fastest junior, clocked 11.74 for seventh. FISU World University champion Georgia Harris (QLD, Paul Pearce) produced a strong run in the B Final, claiming third in 11.70 (-0.5).

The Diamond League continues this weekend in Brussels, Belgium with an experienced duo of Linden Hall (1500m) and Matthew Denny (Discus Throw) flying the flag for the Australians, before a two-day Finals affair takes place next week in Zurich.

By Sascha Ryner, Australian Athletics

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