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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Jack Snape at the National Stadium, Tokyo

Nicola Olyslagers beats rain delays to win high jump gold for Australia

Nicola Olyslagers of Australia celebrates after winning the women's high jump final at the 2025 world athletics championships.
Nicola Olyslagers won gold in the women’s high jump after a countback victory over Poland’s Maria Zodzik. Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock

Nicola Olyslagers overcame two rain delays to deliver Australia’s first gold medal of the world championships on the final evening, being first to clear 2m to win on a countback over Poland’s Maria Zodzik and cement her place at the summit of high jump.

On an extraordinary and at times farcical evening in Tokyo, however, the men’s discus was stopped because of incessant rain that left the circle slippery, and then restarted after the final track event. The saga stretched proceedings late into the night and prompted a desperate attempt by officials to use dozens of towels to keep the circle, the discus and the athletes’ shoes as dry as possible.

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