DL Final Women Day 1 — Olyslagers Flies High

Of her world-leading high jump, Nicola Olyslagers said, “The 2.04 [6-8¼] was 10 out of 10, but I still need to work on my run in the last three steps.” (DIAMOND LEAGUE AG)ZÜRICH, SWITZERLAND, August 27 — Nicola Olyslagers proved to be the virtuoso performer in a superbly entertaining and top-quality high jump competition in front of Zürich’s Opera House which also saw the chorus in fine voice and hitting plenty of high notes.

The Australian went clear at a world-leading 6-8¼ (2.04) to take the DL title, as well as the accompanying $30,000 1st-prize check, after it had been in the possession of Yaroslava Mahuchikh for the last 3 years.

Olyslagers, the 2-time world indoor champion, will now go to Tokyo as the marginal favorite to lift her first major outdoor title after bronze at the ’23 World Championships and Olympic silver in Paris last summer.

On a sunny afternoon in the historic center of Zürich, with just the faintest of breezes, there was a surprise early departure for ’22 WC gold medalist Eleanor Patterson, who could go no higher than 6-3¼ (1.91). The remaining 5 in the compact field all went clear at 6-5½ (1.97).

At 6-6¾ (2.00) Olyslagers, Mahuchikh and Morgan Lake were all successful on their first attempts — the latter improving her British Record by 1cm to become the 86th woman over the landmark height — while Ukraine’s Yuliya Levchenko cleared with her 3rd attempt, to make it the first meet since the ’22 WC with 4 women over 2.00, as Germany’s Christina Honsel departed from the competition.

Olyslagers, jumping first in the rotation, then flew clear at 6-7½ (2.02) to continue her flawless record while Mahuchikh needed two attempts to equal her world-lead from the Doha DL back in May.

At 6-8¼ (2.04), Olyslagers again rose to the occasion with her sixth successive first-time clearance. She just ever so gently tickled the bar as she improved the Australian Record by a centimeter. In response, Mahuchikh — with her failure at the previous height counting against her — opted to pass.

Neither could navigate 6-9 (2.06) but Olyslagers would have doubtless had her heart in her mouth as the Ukrainian WR-holder had a brace of outstanding efforts, just clipping the bar off with her heels on her second and third attempts.

Known for her practice of penning notes in a notebook during competitions, Olyslagers, who’s 28, said “I didn’t ever imagine when I was a child that I would get to this height, and I just see, you know, when I was 20 years old, I decided to take off the control of my sport and just put it into the hands of God, and I’m like an instrument. And I’m not that good, but his hand on me is that good.” She added, “It was so nice having Yaroslava the whole way. Jumping with her is one of my favorite things in the world, so having her and me really go for it was wonderful, and I think I have some notes of what I need to change in order to get it” — “it” might be an outdoor crown in Tokyo.

Katie Moon regained the vault title she had won in ’23 when here she was the only one to go clear at 15-9¾ (4.82). The event had been rescheduled to the start of the first of two days in Zürich due to the threat of heavy rain on Thursday.

The previous bar at 15-7 (4.75) proved to be the critical one for the destination of the DL trophy.

Only Sandi Morris among the five remaining vaulters went clear with her first attempt and, after her initial failure at that height, Moon indicated she was going to pass upwards.

Emily Grove, who had been vaulting well at the earlier heights including a superb clearance at 15-3 (4.65), went on to equal her PR from ’22 when she cleared 15-7 (4.75) at the third time of asking.

However, Moon regained the initiative when she went clear at 15-9¾ (4.82) on her first attempt to ensure an all-American podium.

After bringing the bar down once, Morris passed upwards while Grove couldn’t go into new territory.

At 16-½ (4.89), Moon failed once and then watched as Morris had two unsuccessful attempts to snatch the lead.

With Moon having been confirmed as the victor but still having two attempts potentially in the bank, what followed was a few minutes of confusion.

Moon asked for 16-1¼ (4.92) to have a tilt at the world lead but the officials insisted she could only have the bar raised by 5cm and did a good job of gaslighting the DL champion, who was left asking what the rules were. In fact, she knew what they were as WA rules state clearly that the winner in the vertical jumps can elect to have the bar raised to whatever height they want.

In the end, it was resolved amicably as the bar was raised to 16-¾ (4.90) before Moon quickly failed twice at that height.

“This is my first win in Zürich,” said the ’22 & ’23 Worlds gold medalist. “I have always wanted to win Zürich. It feels so good. I will take some technical issues with me from Zürich such as staying patient and not rushing things. Today I felt the jetlag more than in Brussels [where she won with 15-11/4.85] especially in the middle of the competition.”

“This is also why I had a failure at 4.75. My victory wasn’t happening without the crowd. I needed their extra energy. I love when the crowd is right there, and you feel the energy,” she added, hailing the up-close-and-personal aspect of the city center event.

In the shot, Sarah Mitton threw down the gauntlet to Chase Jackson with an opening-round 65-2 (19.86) as her regular friend and rival fouled.

Then the second stanza brought confusion. Throwing first, Mitton spun around and, per the officials, improved to 67-9¾ (20.67), just a centimeter shy of her Canadian NR. Really, though? Close observers felt Mitton had exited the ring before her implement landed, thus incurring a foul. Well after the competition and following a protest, the officials concurred.

Meanwhile 2-time world champ Jackson— who threw just 2 inches short of her AR in Brussels 5 days earlier in spite of a sore injured finger on her throwing hand — got on the board with 65-10½ (20.08).

Neither putter was able to improve but in the fourth round the Netherlands’ 2-time European champion Jessica Schilder spun past the North Americans when her effort landed at 66-5¾ (20.26). And that’s the way it ended, with Schilder on top after the delayed nullification of Mitton’s long throw.

ZÜRICH DL WOMEN’S RESULTS, DAY 1

HJ: 1. Nicola Olyslagers (Aus) 6-8¼ (2.04) NR (WL) (x, =16 W] (6-3¼, 6-4¼, 6-5½, 6-6¾, 6-7½ [=WL], 6-8¼, 6-9 [xxx]) (1.91, 1.94, 1.97, 2.00, 2.02, 2.04, 2.06 [xxx]);

2. Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Ukr) 6-7½ (2.02) (6-4¼, 6-5½, 6-6¾, 6-7½ [=WL] [2], 6-9 [xxx]) (1.94, 1.97, 2.00, 2.02 [2], 2.06 [xxx]);

3. Morgan Lake (GB) 6-6¾ (2.00) NR (6-2, 6-3¼, 6-4¼, 6-5½ [3], 6-6¾, 6-7½ [xxx]) (1.88, 1.91, 1.94, 1.97 [3], 2.00, 2.02 [xxx]); 4. Yuliya Levchenko (Ukr) 6-6¾; 5. Christina Honsel (Ger) 6-5½ (1.97); 6. Eleanor Patterson (Aus) 6-3¼ (1.91).

PV: 1. Katie Moon (US) 15-9¾ (4.82) (14-11, 15-3 [2], 15-7 [x], 15-9¾, 16-½ [x], 16-¾ [xx]) (4.55, 4.65 [2], 4.75 [x], 4.82, 4.89 [x], 4.90 [xx]); 2. Sandi Morris (US) 15-7 (4.75) (14-11, 15-3 [2], 15-7, 15-9¾ [x], 16-½ [xx]) (4.55, 4.65 [2], 4.75, 4.82 [x], 4.89 [xx]); 3. Emily Grove (US) 15-7 =PR (14-1¼, 14-7¼, 14-11, 15-3, 15-7 [3], 15-9¾ [xxx]) (4.30, 4.45, 4.55, 4.65, 4.75 [3], 4.82 [xxx]); 4. Angelica Moser (Swi) 15-3 (4.65); 5. Tina Šutej (Slo) 15-3; 6. Roberta Bruni (Ita) 14-7¼ (4.45); 7. Lea Bachmann (Swi) 14-1¼ (4.30).

SP: 1. Jessica Schilder (Neth) 66-5¾ (20.26) (62-5¾, 64-8, 64-6, 66-5¾, 64-8¾, 64-9¾) (19.04, 19.71, 19.66, 20.26, 19.73, 19.75); 2. Chase Jackson (US) 65-10½ (20.08) (f, 65-10½, f, 64-4, f, f) (f, 20.08, f, 19.61, f, f); 3. Sarah Mitton (Can) 65-7 (19.99) (65-2, f, 65-5, f, 65-½, 65-7) (19.86, f, 19.94, f, 19.82, 19.99); 4. Jaida Ross (US) 63-2¼ (19.26); 5. Fanny Roos (Swe) 62-8½ (19.11); 6. Maggie Ewen (US) 60-6½ (18.45); 7. Miryam Mazenauer (Swi) 55-5¾ (16.91).

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