It’s jump time again for Leongatha’s Eleanor Patterson

AUSTRALIA’S first-ever high jump world champion, Eleanor Patterson, is one of the stars of the athletics program on Day 7 of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Thursday, August 4.

Together with her teammate, Tokyo 2020 silver medalist, Nicola Olyslager, she goes into the competition, set to start at 7pm (morning session in Birmingham), as equal favourite, with both Eleanor and Nicola, boasting PBs of 2.02 metres.

Patterson’s performance at the World Champs, in Eugene, USA, was the culmination of an incredible streak of recent results for the 26-year-old, who has produced four of her five best-ever results in the past six months.

So, she’ll be in good form, but results can also come down to how you feel on the day, the wind, and the vagaries of the sport where your first jump in a round can win the day.

And as much as Olyslagers was Eleanor’s personal cheer squad during the final moments in Eugene, it will be game on in Birmingham for the top step of the podium between the Gold Coast 2018 bronze medalist and Tokyo 2020 silver medalist, Nicola, who finished fifth at the world championships and Patterson, the Glasgow 2014 champion and 2022 World Champion.

As well as sharing the Australian record of 2.02m, they currently hold the top nine spots of the Australian all-time list combined.

At Alexander Stadium they take on the likes of Jamaican Lamara Distin, who has an impressive personal and season’s best of 1.97m, as well as hometown hero Morgan Lak, who has cleared heights of 1.93m this year.

It’s enough to put all four in medal contention.

The final will follow on Saturday, August 6, also the morning session in Birmingham, likely to start at 7pm Australian time, but watch Channel 7 for details.