Nicola Olyslagers has come full circle and been rewarded with a richly-deserved high jump gold medal at the world championships, one that was chronicled in a soggy notebook.

Even more importantly for the committed Christian, the world title doesn't change the really important stuff.

Olyslagers produced a near-flawless performance in the rain to win Australia's only gold medal in Tokyo on Sunday's final day, eight years after she failed to clear a single bar on her world championships debut in London.

"I've seen year-by-year a gradual performance up," said Olyslagers, who won gold on countback from Poland's Maria Zodzik.

"But when I came last, I remember standing out there and I had so much peace because I knew that my performance didn't determine my identity and value.

"So then coming

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