AUSTRALIA’S high jump twins, Eleanor Patterson of Leongatha and Nicola Olyslagers of North Gosford in NSW, are both safely through to the Olympic high jump final in Paris after both comfortably cleared the qualifying height of 1.95m on Friday night our time.
But it was no gimme.
Several 2.0m jumpers in the field didn’t make it through.
But the favourites are all there, especially the world record holder, Yaroslava Mahuchikh of the Ukraine, who set the new world mark of 2.10m, at the Paris Diamond League athletics meeting just last month.
Realistically, she is the favourite and what a thrill it would be to see her repeat a leap that broke a 15-year-old record.
But Olyslagers has a personal best is 2.03m, achieved twice, and in the pressure of such a high-level competition, it could be enough.
Eleanor Patterson is not far behind, with a personal best of 2.02m and what a time to pull it out.
In July 2022, she won the gold medal at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, tying the Australian national record with the winning jump of 2.02 metres.
“Best in the world” is a tag that looks very nice on any sportsperson’s CV.
Eleanor had four jumps in the qualifying in Stade de France Paris starting at 1.88m, having a hiccup at 1.92m before clearing it with a second jump and then clearing the 1.95m qualifying height, her season's best height (SB) with one attempt.
Olyslagers had three jumps at 1.88m, 1.92m and 1.95m clearing the qualifying height with ease.
But Mahuchikh took only two jumps to go through at 1.92m and 1.95m including an ominously easy jump at 1.95m as if it was nothing.
So, it’s all set up for a fantastic final, at the not so fantastic time of 3.50am on Monday morning, August 5.
Check out the women’s high jump qualifying results HERE
