High jumper Patterson takes leap of faith with technical overhaul

Abandoning years of muscle memory in pursuit of marginal gains, Australian high jumper Eleanor Patterson hopes her brave, new run-up will lift her to a third consecutive world championships medal in Tokyo this weekend.

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The 29-year-old, who claimed the 2022 title in Eugene, Oregon and silver a year later in Budapest, has undergone a technical overhaul under British coach Fayaaz Caan this season in a bid to raise the bar.

It will be put to the test in the final on Sunday, just over a year on from the Paris Olympics where she took bronze behind Ukrainian champion Yaroslav Mahuchikh and silver medallist Nicola Olyslagers.

Early signs have been promising, with Patterson clearing 1.88m and 1.92m at the first time of asking in Thursday's qualifying.

Getting to this point has been a journey for Patterson, who parted ways with long-time coach Alex Stewart and moved to Turin to live with her Italian partner Marco Fassinotti, also a high jumper.

They both train under Saudi Arabia-based Caan, a divisive figure in athletics circles.

A former part-time TV actor, Caan coached Briton Robbie Grabarz to a silver medal at his home Olympics in London 2012 but was given a backdated three-year ban by UK Athletics in 2023 for conduct breaches including verbal abuse and mocking a para-athlete.

Caan is with Patterson in Tokyo but she barely saw him during her technical revamp, with almost all of his instruction delivered remotely.

"Creating a new run-up over FaceTime without my coach in person was unique," Patterson told Reuters.

"My partner Marco has been under 'Fuzz' (Caan) for many years and knows the methodology, drills, and movement inside-out, so he was the person on the ground.

"We tried everything: a rolling approach, a standing start, eight strides, 10 strides – it was 'play around and find out.'

"It was a strange process, but it seems to have worked, so I am not mad about it."

'IMMENSE RESPECT'

Patterson took silver at the world indoor championships behind fellow Australian Olyslagers in Nanjing, China in March.

While she has not threatened her personal best of 2.02m, she rates 2025 as the most consistent season of her career; a building block in a four-year plan that ends, hopefully, in triumph at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

That is the long-term plan, but for the moment her eyes are fixed on the podium in Tokyo and her streak of medalling at major events.

"Since 2022 indoors, I have won a medal at every major championship I have attended, and I would love to continue that," she said.

"I have been scraping the surface of a breakthrough this year – I have jumped 1.97 a lot, and 1.99 – so I feel ready to go higher. I am hunting that progress more than anything."

Her motivation has long been stoked by a rivalry-turned-friendship with 28-year-old Olyslagers spanning over 15 years.

Both the Australians have done things their own way, with devout Christian Olyslagers shunning big-city life and super-coaches to train on the sleepy Central Coast north of Sydney.

"Each of us has had highs and lows, and achieving success together has been a beautiful thing," said Patterson.

"Nicola's in great form, and we have immense respect for her, her team and her approach to life.

"I think we're both competitive, pushing each other to new heights, and that's led us to where we are today."