Eleanor Patterson retired after Rio Olympics - now she has broken the national high jump record
After quitting athletics following a disappointing 2016 Olympics, Eleanor Patterson has returned in a big way - breaking the national high jump record to push for a spot at the Tokyo Games.
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Comeback queen Eleanor Patterson has rocketed into Tokyo Olympic calculations after breaking the long-standing national high jump record.
The forgotten girl of Australian athletics is back in the spotlight after she cleared 1.99m at the Capital Classic in Wellington, New Zealand.
Patterson, 23, surpassed the previous record by 1cm which had been jointly held by Vanessa Ward (1989) and Alison Inverarity (1994).
She made the record-breaking jump on her third attempt but was then unsuccessful with three attempts at 2.01m.
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Fellow Australian Nicola McDermott, who has also qualified for Tokyo, cleared 1.96m but missed at 1.99m.
“I have been wanting a new PB and the Australian record for seven years now,” Patterson said.
“I haven’t done a PB since 2013 when I was 17.
“I knew it was only a matter of time but to bring it to fruition today was phenomenal. I’ve over the moon.”
Patterson praised McDermott for helping her create history.
“It’s phenomenal that Nicola is there with me for each jump, that we are able to be such a force for each other,” she said.
“It’s such a great feeling and blessing to have Nicola alongside with me, we’ve been neck and neck with each other and both continually jumping over Olympic standards.”
After disappearing from the sport for almost 18 months, Patterson, who won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, moved to Sydney from country Victoria to resurrect her career.
She had been a rags to riches story, rising from training at her local football ground in Leongatha to winning on the world stage at the age of 18.
But after a disappointing performance at the 2016 Rio Olympics, she walked away from the sport.
With the help of Athletics Australia, Patterson was persuaded to move to Sydney to work with highly regarded coach Alex Stewart.
His training group includes 2018 Commonwealth Games high jump champion Brandon Starc.
Patterson’s record-breaking jump puts her at the top of the world rankings and the leap would have won her the gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
Spain’s Ruth Beitia won the Olympic title with a clearance of 1.97m.