Australia’s Eleanor Patterson soared to victory in the women’s high jump at the World Championships in Oregon on Tuesday.
Patterson won on countback after clearing the bar with a new Australian record of 2.02m at Hayward Field.
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh – gold medallist at this year’s World Indoor Championships – took silver after a nail-biting duel with Patterson.
“I’m honestly speechless right now,” Patterson said afterwards.
“It was a phenomenal competition and such high caliber. I had to really dig deep inside … I’m actually, honestly in disbelief. It’s crazy to think I’m going to be shaking my head in disbelief for the whole week, month, year, who knows?
“I’m already starting to get sore cheeks from smil-ing.” Patterson meanwhile paid tribute to silver medallist Mahuchikh, who fled Ukraine after Rus-sia’s invasion of her homeland earlier this year and incredibly went on to win world indoor gold in Bel-grade in March.
“I can’t fathom what she’s going through,” Pat-terson said. “But she’s such an incredible person, incredible athlete and so she’s done incredible.”
Italy’s Elena Vallortigara won bronze with a jump of 2.00m. Three-time defending world champion Mariya Lasitskene, gold medallist at the Olympics last year, was barred from defending her title as part of the ban on Russian athletes from the champion-ships due to the invasion of Ukraine.—APP
