It was December 1979 when The Clash released their landmark song “London Calling.” This was 17 and 13 years before Nicola Olyslagers and Cordell Tinch were born, respectively.
British Athletics is calling reigning world champion Olyslagers and newly crowned global sprint hurdles champion Tinch will make their debuts at the Novuna London Athletics Meet on Saturday, July 18. Their inclusion adds further weight to an already stacked Wanda Diamond League calendar.
For Olyslagers, the appearance marks a return to London for the first time since the 2017 World Championships. The Australian high jumper arrives as the reigning world and Diamond League champion, carrying the momentum of a career that has steadily evolved from promise into sustained dominance.
The 29-year-old owns the Australian record at 2.04m, set at the 2025 Diamond League Final in Zurich. She is a two-time Olympic silver medallist, a two-time world indoor champion, and was named World Athletics Female Field Athlete of the Year in 2025. Earlier this spring, she secured her seventh Australian national title.
“Last year was such a beautiful year, but as I reflected on everything I’d achieved, I found myself even more excited for the future,” Olyslagers said. “This will be my first time competing in London since the 2017 World Championships, and I know it will be a really special experience.”
Olyslagers has become one of the sport’s most reliable championship performers, blending technical precision with the kind of enthusiasm that appears genuine rather than manufactured. Her presence strengthens a women’s high jump event that has regained global relevance over the past several seasons.
Tinch arrives with a very different narrative arc. The American hurdler stepped away from the sport in 2020 before returning in 2023. By 2025, he had transformed himself from an athlete searching for footing into the world champion and one of the fastest men in history over the 110m hurdles.
His breakthrough campaign included five Diamond League victories, a 12.87 personal best in Shanghai/Keqiao — tying him for fourth on the all-time list — and a 12.99 performance in Tokyo to capture his first global title.
“I learned a lot during my time away from the sport, and I don’t believe I’d be a world champion now if I hadn’t made that call,” Tinch said. “Looking ahead to the 2026 season, I hold myself to a new standard. I’m very excited to compete for the first time in London.”
The Novuna London Athletics Meet continues to market itself as the world’s largest one-day athletics event, and few meets on the circuit consistently match its atmosphere or crowd engagement. London remains one of the Diamond League’s signature stops, often delivering championship-level intensity in the middle of the season.
The 2026 Wanda Diamond League season features 15 meetings across four continents. The campaign opened in Shanghai/Keqiao on May 16, while Doha was shifted to June 19. The series concludes with the two-day final in Brussels on September 4–5.
Tickets for the London meet are available through British Athletics.
