Eleanor Patterson has become just the 10th Australian athlete to win world championships gold with a thrilling triumph in the women’s high jump in Eugene.
The 26-year-old surged to the lead on a steamy hot afternoon with a first-up clearance at 2.02m – bettering her PB by 2cm and equalling the national record in the process.
Ukrainian Yarolsava Mahuchikh was the only other jumper to get over at 2.02m, but she needed two attempts to achieve the feat.
Mahuchikh and Patterson then each missed three times at 2.04m, ensuring Patterson would win the gold on countback.
Patterson became the first Australian woman to win a world or Olympics high jump title, while John Winter (1948 London Olympics) is the only Australian man to achieve the feat.
Patterson first burst to prominence when she won the Commonwealth title as a shy 18-year-old in Glasgow in 2014.
She endured some ups and downs in the intervening years before making the career-changing decision to link up with coach Alex Stewart.
Fellow Australian Nicola Olyslagers, the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist, finished tied for fifth with a best clearance of 1.96m.
The competition was thrown wide open by the enforced absence of three-time world champ and Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Mariya Lasitskene.
All Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from competing in Eugene due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Stewart McSweyn gave himself every chance by going out hard in the men’s 1500m final.
But he was unable to go with the leaders in the final lap of a race which was won in a boilover by Britain’s Jake Wightman in three minutes 29.23 seconds – the fastest time in the world this year.
Norway’s Olympic champ Jakob Ingebrigtsen was second in 3:29.47 and McSweyn finished ninth in 3:33.24.
Australia’s Matthew Denny was sixth in a high-quality men’s discus final, with his best effort of 66.47m coming in the final round,
But no-one could get near Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh won claimed gold with a massive throw of 71.13m.
Teenager Calab Law (20.72) bowed out as expected in the men’s 200m semis and will now turn his attention to the world juniors in Colombia.
Jacinta Beecher was also run out in the women’s 200m semis in 23.14.
Sarah Carli was untroubled in advancing to the 400m hurdles semi-finals by finishing fifth in her heat in 55.89.
As expected, world record holder Sydney McLaughlin from the US topped the timesheets with 53.95.
jameswm
Roar Guru
And another gold. 3 more possibilities for medals - Pete Bol, Ash Moloney and Brooke Buschkuehl.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Putin invaded Ukraine. What's that got to do with Biden. Extrapolation much!!!
Seymour Richards
Guest
"I feel like schmuck that Australia took a Gold off Ukraine" Blame Putin , that's what dough pee Joe would do.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I feel like schmuck that Australia took a Gold off Ukraine. ------- I did her astrological chart. She has Sun (core being) opposite, a very exact opposition, to Pluto (deep, strong power) with Uranus aspecting well. I think she could be around for a while. Her Leo Ascendant is very fitting for such an individual sporting discipline. It's also her bright presence and her geeing up the crowd was all pure Leo. Her chart us more 'male' than 'female'. -------- It's been a bit quiet on the Cricket and Australian Football pages.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Yeah I was just thinking that. McDermott's jump at 1.96 (sorry Olyslagers's jump) was well clear and was around a 2m jump, She has hit form at the right time after struggling a bit this season. The only other Commonwealth athletes in the final were 2 Jamaicans, who jumped 1.93 and 1.89, but I think one of them looked better than that and won NCAAs with 1.97 NR.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
fantastic effort to win gold
josh
Roar Rookie
1,2 at the Commonwealth Games on the cards for the women’s high jump?
jameswm
Roar Guru
1st, 5th, 6th and 9th for Australia this session. Not bad. So happy for Eleanor. She has worked so hard for the last 4 years or so, since linking with Alex. She is very determined, the chip on her shoulder thing a bit, works for a lot of people. And what a coach – Eleanor and Brandon, firstly male CG champ and now women’s World Champ. A lot of similarities in how they jump. Hope he keeps going for many years. That sure was worth a WFH day. I watched it with wife and one son – we were going nuts for her, HJ is such an exciting event.
JGK
Roar Guru
Well done Eleanor!
Nick
Roar Guru
Brilliant! I was watching on the second screen. Great stuff.