On the final Sunday of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Nicola Olyslagers rose above the rain and the pressure to claim the gold medal in the women’s high jump: her sixth global medal and first outdoor world title. For the Olympic medallist, who competes with “All for Jesus” written on her wrist as a constant reminder of her faith, the victory was as much a testament to her spiritual journey as it was to her athletic mastery.
A Champion’s Composure in the Rain
The Tokyo skies opened as the women’s high jump final reached its climax, turning the apron into a test of patience and nerve. At 1.97m, five jumpers remained, among them Olyslagers, world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Serbia’s teenage prodigy Angelina Topić, Poland’s Maria Zodzik, and 2022 world champion Eleanor Patterson.
Olyslagers cleared every bar from 1.93m to 2.00m on her first attempt, her arms raised in trademark celebration as she soared above the drenched crossbar. Zodzik, fighting through the conditions, would eventually join her at 2.00m in a sensational PB in trying conditions, but Mahuchikh and Topić faltered, settling for joint bronze.
Attempts at 2.02m proved too much on the rain soaked track, but with her flawless card to 2.00m, Olyslagers was declared the champion: her first global outdoor crown, and Australia’s 15th world title in World Championships history.
“This was just pure joy, even in the rain,” Olyslagers reflected. “I’ve seen so many bars fall off just by that small amount but when it stays on, what else could you say but ‘Thank you, God.’ High jump is a bit of luck but tonight was so special.”
Faith and Transformation
For Olyslagers, victory was not only about medals. Speaking with her characteristic openness, she pointed to a deeper transformation that has powered her season.
“I wanted to finish this year full of passion, full of love in my heart, not only for the sport but for why I started the sport,” she said. “Today, waiting in the pouring rain for hours between jumps, I still had that light inside my heart.
“I felt like Jesus has transformed my heart since last year and he’s been renovating my body. I’ve got speed that I’ve never trained for and now it’s finally come through after 20 years of training. I’m just thankful that I get to do it with him — this gold medal is just the cherry on top. Leaving that stadium with that joy in my heart, I thought: I could do this forever.”
Her triumph caps a remarkable run: world indoor gold, the Diamond League trophy, a new Oceania record of 2.04m, and now, the most coveted title of all — world champion.
Patterson’s Grace and Topić’s Tears
While Olyslagers stood atop the podium, the final was also a showcase of camaraderie in the toughest conditions. Eleanor Patterson, Australia’s 2022 world champion, placed fifth with 1.97m, undone by a crucial miss at her opening height and unable to recapture rhythm at 2.00m.
“It’s bittersweet in so many ways,” Patterson admitted. “If I had one clearance a little bit earlier, it would have been incredible — but that’s the nature of high jumping. Hats off to Nicola, it’s really wonderful seeing her win gold.”
Patterson’s presence extended beyond her own jumps. As Serbia’s Angelina Topić, just 19, endured the longest wait of her career for a medal decision in the driving rain, Patterson became her anchor.
“I was just landed next to Eleanor Patterson, I was crying like a baby,” Topić revealed. “I don’t think I would have survived this without her … I love her and thanks to her, I was OK.”
For Patterson, the act was instinctive: “I was very proud that I was able to be a part of a moment with Angelina. It was a beautiful moment of just humanity — to be there for someone through that.”
Australia’s High Jump Legacy
Olyslagers’ gold ensures Australia’s continued prominence in the high jump, following Patterson’s world title in 2022. The pair have now combined for back-to-back championships, a feat few nations can match.
Between them, they have built not only a winning culture but a narrative of friendship, faith, and fortitude — a reminder that in athletics, the story is never just about the heights cleared, but also the spirit carried.
In Tokyo, on a sodden Sunday night where rain mixed with tears, Nicola Olyslagers jumped for joy, jumped for faith. And, with “All for Jesus” etched on her wrist, she jumped for Jesus.
