One reigning world champion. One world leader. One rising star.

Never before in the history of Australian athletics have two athletes presented with such strong credentials to claim the top spot in one discipline at a World Championships. With a potent combination of equal Australian record holders Eleanor Patterson and Nicola Olyslagers, along with teenager Erin Shaw, Australia is gearing up for an assault to defend the coveted Women’s High Jump title.

And each is a New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder.

Formidable competitors on the field, Patterson and Olyslagers have had differing journeys to Budapest this year, as the world champion continues to build back to top form after injury, while the Olympic silver medallist travels to the Hungarian city with nine wins from 10 starts in 2023.

“It adds a bit of pressure, but at the same time, you can pick and choose what you take on board,” gold medallist Patterson said.

“My biggest focus right now is the fact that I’m in one piece and jumping really well, and really, really happy to be competing. No matter what title is attached to my name, it’s still just high jump and anything can happen on the day. I’m excited to bring forth whatever I can on the day and come back and defend my title.”

Mindset is everything for the world champion. With the pendulum swinging between the pair over the past two years plus the added layer of two Ukrainians reaching heights over two-metres this year, Patterson is aware of her competition but remains confident in her strengths.

“Obviously going into last year, I was an underdog but just like last year, I’m certainly hungry to fight for it. After my injury this year, I feel like I’m finally returning to the old Eleanor. It hasn’t been an easy journey to be able to bring to fruition the big jumps but I have huge things I know I can achieve. I have done it before, and I just revel in those circumstances.”

Olyslagers won’t be resting on her laurels as world leader. Over a representative career spanning nearly a decade, 2022 was the first year she was unable to achieve a personal best, but remains self-assured knowing she has climbed back to the top.

“Last year taught me the importance of character, because your character really determines what you’re going to do in the moment of someone jumping amazingly or when I’m jumping amazingly,” Olyslagers said.

“It’s not a walk in the park. The journey coming up there to world leader was quite difficult to get to that place because I don’t think I’ve ever really maintained a world leader status before.

“I don’t want to settle and fall back on that as confidence but really strive and push for something new because the other girls that I’m versing have done things that I haven’t been able to before. I’ve never won a world championship, I’ve never cracked 2.05m and they’ve all done things that have really paved the path for me to dream a bit bigger and not limit myself to two-metres.”

Fourth-place getter at the 2022 World Athletics Under 20 Championships, 18-year-old Erin Shaw rounds out the Australian contingent in the field as she follows in the footsteps of her inspirational compatriots.

Having completed her first season abroad alongside training partners and mentors, Patterson and Brandon Starc, Shaw steps into the limelight of global athletics with a personal and season’s best of 1.90m indoors.

“It’s been a good experience and fun to compete in different countries. To follow and compete with Eleanor and Brandon, they’re amazing athletes so I’m very grateful to learn from them, especially since they competed at their first world championships as teens as well,” Shaw said.

“The goal is to jump high – I know it sounds kind of silly but making it here was the big goal and I’ve done that. I want to enjoy the experience, jump something I’m proud of and go from there.”

The trio agree that the Budapest edition of the World Championships will be one of the most competitive yet, with Olyslagers most looking forward to seeing the green and gold spirit shine.

“I’m excited about what’s happening within Australian sport,” she said.

“We want to see Australia on the podium and maybe have two of us on there. It’s never been done and it’s an opportunity to create a first for our nation. Let’s go.”

Athletics fans can catch every session of the 2023 World Athletics Championships from August 19-27 live and free on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand, with a full viewing schedule to be found HERE.

 Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia

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