Patterson and Olyslagers prepared for takeoff in Tokyo

The 2022 world high jump champion, Australia’s Eleanor Patterson, declared she’s in career-best form before revealing her goals for Sunday’s World Championships final in Tokyo.

Patterson, who won the bronze medal at last year’s Paris Olympics, will go head-to-head with fellow New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder, Nicola Olyslagers, whose scintillating form allowed her to dominate the prestigious Diamond League in the lead up to these championships.

“I back myself when it comes to a major championships, so we’ll see how we go,” said Patterson.

When quizzed about what she was hoping to achieve in the final Patterson said she had not only pinpointed a season’s best performance, but she was also looking to jump higher than two metres.

“I would love to come away with a season’s best, if not a PB,” she said. “That would be incredible. I think I have been in incredible form all year and I’ve had, to date, the best season of my life. I’ve jumper nothing less than 1.91m

“Yeah, I think I’m knocking on the door of higher heights. So, it could really be a lot of fun on Sunday.”

Olyslagers (pictured above) enters Japan’s National Stadium as favourite for gold after a near-perfect season that resulted in her claiming the Diamond League trophy, completing five clearances over 2.00m and establishing a new Australian record of 2.04m.

Having toppled the reigning Olympic and world champion, Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, on multiple occasions, including at the World Athletics Indoor Championships this year, where Olyslagers won gold, she is the woman to beat in Tokyo.

“This is the most fresh I’ve felt for a World Champs event before.,” said Olyslagers. “Usually I’m just hanging on for dear life because it’s been a long season, but since I came home to Australia mid-year, I feel like I’m just starting to warm up so I’m really excited.

“I want to take risks out there, I don’t want to play it safe. I really want to jump higher than I ever have before and make the most of the shape I’m in. Hopefully, you’ll see the unpredictable and me doing different things.”

Daniel Lane, NSWIS