Nicola Olyslagers went on to display immense mental fortitude and tactical awareness in challenging conditions. She finished up first place overall in a three-way tie at the Diamond League competition in Lausanne, Switzerland. In the face of torrential rain, serious questions arose about performance and safety at this truly unprecedented competition. Despite the deluge, Olyslagers secured victory with a single successful jump at 1.91 meters, demonstrating her ability to adapt and thrive under pressure.
The 27-year-old decided to enter the finale as the final jumper, at an opening height of 1.91m. When rain began to fall steadily, she wasn’t sure what the day would hold for her performance.
“This is a very wet competition, so 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?’” – Nicola Olyslagers
With one impressive leap, she managed to raise the bar herself. Little did she know that jump would go on to be the winning jump of the entire evening!
A Three-Way Tie
Olyslagers was joined on the podium by Germany’s Christina Honsel and Poland’s Maria Żodzik. Honsel ended the competition with three successful jumps, while Żodzik accumulated four makes. Neither was able to get past Olyslagers’ best on this rainy eve.
Olyslagers soared over 1.91 meters on her only try of the night. This accomplishment catapulted her to lead with her peers. Her remarkable performance highlighted both her talent and her long-term strategy in negotiating the challenging weather affected course.
Looking Ahead to Championships
Olyslagers is in brilliant form as she looks forward to the world championships later this year. As a dual Olympic silver medallist, she has been focused on this main goal of the year. Her inspiration comes from how she’s doing in the ongoing, season-long Diamond League. Next week, she’ll be looking for a big performance in Zurich to solidify her top finish.
Olyslagers’ successful gamble in Lausanne was a risky move but was typical of her competitive spirit and determination to win.
“But in the end, it worked, because the one jump was the winning jump.” – Nicola Olyslagers
Her win under very difficult conditions should give her a huge confidence boost heading into the world-class competition awaiting her.
