PARIS -- After soaring over the two-metre bar and crashing back down to earth, Nicola Olyslagers sprung back to her feet with a smile almost as wide as her face. She then shrieked and threw her hands in the air, knowing she had just become a double Olympic medallist. She also knew that compatriot Eleanor Patterson -- who had already secured the bronze medal -- was joining her on an historic Australian podium.
Olyslagers stood on the foam mat a heartbeat longer than usual, soaking in the cheers raining down from the capacity Stade de France crowd, before returning to the high jumpers' bench and picking up her trademark black notebook. She held it in her hands for a brief moment and starred up towards the night sky, almost contemplating what to journal next. Perhaps something about creating Australian history would have been appropriate.
It had been 56 years since Australia had double representation on an Olympic track and field podium. Olyslagers (née McDermott), the silver medal winner three years ago in Tokyo, joining Cathy Freeman, Sally Pearson, and Jared Tallent as Australia's only multiple Olympic track and field medalists this century. "It was really beautiful.
In my head, the perfect podium," Olsylagers told reporters. "Especially Iryna and Eleanor. To have shared the bronze medal; both of them at the Olympics Games last time they got fourth and fifth, both of them narrowly missing out on these big things.
But of course you want the Australian anthem and that means I.