Nicola Olyslagers has won her seventh global medal with silver at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland, but fell short of a historic three-peat in the women's high jump.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine, the Paris 2024 Olympic champion, won gold with a clearance of 2.01m, the only athlete to clear the height, finishing ahead of Olyslagers, Serbia's Angelina Topić, and Ukraine's Yuliia Levchenko, who shared silver after each cleared 1.99m. The Australian had been valiant in her bid for an elusive three peat, entering the championships as the back-to-back champion with wins at Glasgow in 2024 and Nanjing in 2025.
The 28-year-old acknowledged the difficulty of the attempt.
"To have four women jump 1.99m on their first attempt, I don't remember the last time I was a part of something like that," Olyslagers said. "I wasn't feeling in my absolute championship best shape, so I just thought to myself, what have I got to give today? Because I know how much goes into a medal, and they get to have it too – it makes it three times more special rather than one third as special."
Mahuchikh was flawless from 1.93m onward, clearing 1.96m, 1.99m and 2.01m at the first attempt to take control of the contest. With her nearest challengers unable to match 2.01m, the Ukrainian then took aim at a new championship record of 2.06m, but could not clear the height.
For Olyslagers, the result represents a stumble in what has been an exceptional two years. After her 2025 season, in which she captured both the indoor and outdoor titles, reset the Oceanian record to 2.04m, finished the year as world leader, and claimed the Diamond League crown, Olyslagers was named World Athletics Field Athlete of the Year for 2025. She also cleared an Australian record 2.04 metres on her way to the Diamond League title in Zurich, underlining her status as world number one in the event.
Fellow Australian Eleanor Patterson bowed out with a seventh-place finish, clearing 1.93m but falling short of fifth place on countback. The pair represented Australia's strength in the event; both are among the world's top high jumpers.
Elsewhere on the opening day, Olympian Peter Bol and debutant Hayley Kitching sailed through their 800m heats in times of 1:45.87 and 2:00.09 respectively, booking their tickets to the semi-finals with strong racing. Olyslagers' medal opened Australia's account at the championships in Toruń, where 674 athletes from 118 federations are contesting 26 track and field events from 20 to 22 March.