Nicola Olyslagers and Bruce McAvaney honoured in Monaco
It was special.
Bruce McAvaney’s extraordinary body of work and Nicola Olyslagers’ extraordinary year have earned Australians two of World Athletics’ biggest prizes.
High jumper Olyslagers has been crowned the world’s best field athlete by the sport’s governing body at a prestigious ceremony in Monaco.
Nicola Olyslagers at the awards ceremony in Monaco.Credit: Chiara Montesano for World Athletics
What about Bruce? The rest of the world now respects him with the same affection Australians have long held for him, winning the President’s Medal for his lifetime of work in athletics and philanthropy.
The award recognized Olyslagers’ formidable year in which he won gold at both the world indoor and outdoor championships, set a new Oceania record (2.04 metres), won the prestigious Diamond League and finished the year as the world leader.
Olyslager’s top field athlete award was the second-highest honor possible for a female athlete. American 400-meter runner Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the gong for best track and field athlete of the year and best overall female athlete.
Olyslagers and Mondo Duplantis display their trophies.Credit: Chiara Montesano for World Athletics
The only other Australian woman to win the world’s best award, Sally Pearson also won the best overall female athlete of the year award in 2011. Sprinter Usain Bolt, the sport’s greatest ever athlete, was the top male athlete that year.
“As we flew to Monaco, I reflected in my diary when I was 20 years old: I was working in a cafe, washing dishes in the back, saving money to buy plane tickets to compete internationally, and I was far from competitive, but I was dreaming in the back of that cafe,” Olyslagers said.
