World champion Eleanor Patterson’s Goal Has Not Changed

New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder – and world champion high jumper – Eleanor Patterson, said she was on track to defend her title later this year despite being on crutches after fracturing a bone in her foot.

Patterson, who became just the 10^th Australian to seize a world championship gold medal after clearing 2.02 metres in Oregon last year, has been working hard in the NSWIS gymnasium despite requiring crutches to get about.

“Things haven’t gone quite to plan as I would like them to have,” said Patterson of her preparation for this August’s word championships in Budapest. “But we still have a lot of time.”

Patterson provided NSWIS staff with an update of her injury during an all-encompassing interview with the 26-year-old and her coach, Alex Stewart. She also provided insights into the importance of athletes being appreciated away from their sport as individuals, and the need for anyone with a dream to summon the courage that’s needed to follow them.

“It’s almost four weeks post-surgery, and it’s all going pretty well,” said Patterson of her recovery. “It’s frustrating, yes. I have some good days . . . some bad days . . .  but at the end of the day [injuries are] familiar territory and I know I will come back stronger.

“It’s changed the plan, but I’m still able to train. I’m working my upper body, which is quite foreign, and I’m able to work on different elements of myself as a whole package.

“As much as it’s frustrating that I’m not able to run and jump right now, it is providing an opportunity to work on the minute things that will inevitably help me in the long run. I have no doubt I’ll be able to return – and return quite well.

“I’m really looking forward to this year.”

The world champion injured herself just over a month ago while she was in Slovakia and preparing to compete in an indoor competition that was being staged on a makeshift surface.

“We like to do a pre-meet the day before competition, and we were doing simple drills,” recalled Patterson. “It was on quite a small arena because this competition was [being conducted on] a surface plonked down on a basketball court.

“It was a small space, and I was doing some drills around a tight curve and unfortunately, I slipped and managed to fracture my fifth metatarsal.

“We were in Slovakia, and no-one spoke any English in the hospital. We flew back to London, went home to Australia and into surgery not long after returning to have a plate put over my bone and help that heal.”

Despite the ordeal, Patterson was adamant she had more than enough time to prepare for her title defence.

“By the time I went in for surgery it was almost six months to the day of world championships,” she said. “I’m very fortunate that I do have, through winning last year, a wildcard so I’m guaranteed to be able to compete.

“We have six months to be able to get back out there, and I have no doubt I’ll be able to compete beforehand.

If Patterson should need inspiration while she rehabilitates, she could reflect on how, in the lead-up to her stunning victory in Oregon last year, she was restricted to walking exercises after developing a stress hot spot weeks before the event.

“It’s less than ideal, but, unfortunately for me, bone injuries are a common occurrence,” she said. “I’ve had one every year the last couple of years. Five weeks before [last year’s] world championships I had a stress hot spot and was unable to run.

“Obviously, this is a longer journey on crutches and starting from scratch in a different manner. As part of the mental head space and being able to come back from injury, it’s something that’s quite familiar for me.

“We have world championships in Budapest at the end of August, but I have big plans. I want to be able to defend my title and achieve a lot of things as far as personal best and Australian records.

“As much as this is looking ‘different’ I don’t think it will change the end result.”

Stewart, who has coached Patterson for the last three-and-a-half years, said despite the fact his charge is these days under a much tougher scrutiny, there was no plan to change her approach to competing at the world championships because she’s wearing the crown.

“We try to create a mindset in our training group that when you set foot on the track, we’re setting foot on the track to win – and someone is either trying to beat you or you’re trying to beat someone else,” he said.

“That was the goal before, and the goal won’t change.”

Daniel Lane, NSWIS