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AAP
AAP
John Salvado

Nicola Olyslagers hails historic Olympic high jump

Nicola Olyslagers was delighted to finish on the high jump podium for a second straight Olympics. (Iain McGregor/AAP PHOTOS)

Dual Olympics high jump silver medallist Nicola Olyslagers believes the Australian track and field team is set for a great and bountiful Olympic campaign in Paris.

Three days into the athletics competition and the green and gold squad has already equalled its three-medal haul from Tokyo three years ago.

Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson become the first Australians in 56 years to medal in the same Olympic athletics event when they finished second and third on Sunday night behind world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh.

Olylsagers pushed the great Ukrainian all the way with a clutch final-attempt  clearance at 2m before having to settle for the silver on countback when neither of them could get over 2.02m.

"Of course I wanted a personal best," said the 28-year-old, who holds the Australian record of 2.03m.

"I won't say I didn't want it.

"But what I saw tonight, I think there's great potential for higher heights and higher national records.

"And then to do something (historic) with Eleanor tonight for the Olympics.

"... I'm thinking that by Los Angeles (in 2028) we're going to have something really magnificent come around."

Olsylagers reckons there will be something special in the shorter term too, with a host of other legitimate medal hopes in the Australian team including pole vaulters Nina Kennedy and Kurtis Marschall, Matt Denny (discus), Jessica Hull (1500m) and Mackenzie Little (javelin).

"If you look at Eleanor and I and our techniques and our approaches, it's completely different," she said.

"But we are at that place, where (the team coaches and leaders) say 'OK, you need this and this' and they don't put us in the same box.

"I think that's one of the strongest things we have as a nation - the trust in our individual athletes."

Olyslagers reckoned the podium including herself, Patterson, Mahuchikh and another Ukrainian, Iryna Gerashchenko - who tied for the bronze - was perfect, reflecting the two nations which have dominated women's high jump in recent years.

The quartet celebrated together on the high jump mat after the competition.

Olyslagers, who speaks openly about her deep Christian faith, also danced with a white flag as part of the post-competition celebrations at the Stade de France.

"I barely did a first dance with my husband on my wedding day - I really don't like it," she said.

"But I got this picture of when you're dancing undignifed just for the Lord and praising him, not because you're comfortable, but because he's worthy of it.

"I believe that every jump I do is praise onto him, but I'm really good at my jumping, so it's easy just to fall back into performance.

"But when I'm dancing in weakness with a white flag, I just want people to see that joy and expression of praise."

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