Patterson strikes second gold in Czechia

Eleanor Patterson, the 2022 world champion, pocketed her second gold medal in as many days after clearing 1.97m at the specialist high jump meet, the Beskyd Bar – a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver event held in Czechia.

Patterson, who took the gold medal at the recent Hustopečské skákání meet (also in Czechia) had an impressive day at the office clearing 1.88m, 1.91m and 1.94m before notching a season’s best 1.97m. Jamaica’s Lamara Distin finished second (1.94) and Maria Zodzik of Poland third (1.91).

Patterson, whose 1.96m jump at Tuesday’s Hustopečské skákání meet also ensured she met the qualification criteria for next month’s World Indoor Athletics Championships in Poland as well as this year’s Commonwealth Games, will next compete at the Banksa Bystrica meet in Slovakia on February 24.

NSWIS’s Micheal Perry, the State Performance Advisor, Athletics, said it was pleasing to see Patterson start the season with a spring in her step . . . and with two gleaming gold medals.

“It’s great to see how Eleanor has started the season,” Perry said of the Paris Olympic Games bronze medallist. “To qualify for the world indoors and the Commonwealth Games in her first competition is special.”

Another NSWIS scholarship holder who recently medalled was shot putter Alex  Kolesnikoff – who starred in the USA with Harvard and Georgia University – hurling the metal 18.35m at last weekend’s Australian Athletics Short course championships in Melbourne. He took silver, finishing behind Great Britain’s two-time Olympian, Scott Lincoln, who sealed gold with a throw of 20.76m.

And pole-vaulter Aiden Princena-White finished third in the pole vault at the same meet after launching himself 5.18m. Princena-White will compete in this weekend’s Perth Track Classic.

Daniel Lane, NSWIS