CG Day 2 – Eleanor Patterson reclaims high jump title 12-year on

29 July 2026

CG Day 2 – Eleanor Patterson reclaims high jump title 12-year on 

Overcoming a rain interrupted competition, with a near perfect competition sheet, Eleanor Patterson has won the women’s Commonwealth Games high jump title over world champion and NSW teammate Nicola Olyslagers. Eleanor cleared an equal Games record height on 1.96m.

With the risk the high jump would come down to a countback, where earlier misses could be a factor, Eleanor maintained a clean sheet at 1.87m and 1.90m, while Nicola had five misses across 1.87m and 1.90m. At 1.93m, both were over at their first attempt. The bar was then raised to 1.96m and on her third attempt Eleanor was over. Nicola jumping next, had a chance to respond, but alas would miss. Eleanor then took three unsuccessful attempts at 2.00m.

Eleanor, who as an 18-year-old, won this title in 2014, has enjoyed a very strong few years since COVID, including being crowned world champion in 2022. Tonight was the fourth occasion Nicola and Eleanor have shared the podium at a major Games/Championship: 2023 World Championships, 2024 Olympics and 2025 World Indoors.

See quotes from Eleanor and Nicola below.

Also competing across the two sessions was Luke Boyes and Rohan Browning. Boyes commanded his 800m heat, leading all the way for the win and easy progression to the semi. Rohan was running in the 100m semifinal and clocked a season’s best of 10.14 in the wet conditions. He finished up equal 15th across the semis.

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IN THEIR OWN WORDS – Eleanor and Nicola

Eleanor Patterson Interview 1:

“I was very nervous coming into this, because it's been a wild 12 years. I feel like a very, very different athlete to who I was when I was 18. I am with a wonderful coach, Fuz Caan, and my partner Marco, coaches me, and he was coaching me out there tonight. And so I feel very lucky to be in the position I am today.

It turns out that my coach Fuz, and Marco were in the crowd in 2014 and coached the girl who got second to me in 2014. And so then, fast forward, you know, 10 years, then I start working with Fuz.”

Eleanor Patterson Interview 2:

“Where I was standing was flooding, it was quite a lot at the start of our run-up. I've jumped in very similar (conditions). I was able to be like, "Okay, I know what to do.

It seems I can only win in Glasgow. So I feel like I have very good rapport with this city. I jumped 1.94 when I won in 2014, and so I had to beat my 18-year-old self. I was very happy with 1.96 and the win.

“And how different an athlete are you to that 18-year-old athlete? So different. Yeah. I hardly spoke when I was 18. I was very, very shy. I had no idea who I was. I was still in Year 12, like finishing school. I have worked with two different coaches in between that time, and now I've finally found the people who I am very proud to work with, very happy to work with, and so, yeah, it's been a wild 12 years. I wouldn't change things for the world, but I'm very, very, very happy to be where I am today.”

Eleanor Patterson Interview 3:

“It feels like a very full-circle experience. I was 18 years old in 2014, and it feels like a lifetime ago. I had so much fun out there, and I just wanted to do my 18-year-old self very proud. 

“It was not an easy night at the office. I know I'm in really good shape, and so I know I could execute what my plan was, and so I just had to kind of keep my head in the game.

My career overall has just never been linear, and tonight was not a linear experience at all. It was not an easy experience, but it was still, you know, I've just got to keep my head above water, literally and figuratively. I'm very happy with how tonight turned out.”

Nicola Olyslagers Interview 1:

“It was a memorable competition.

“I don't think I've ever actually come off the competition arena and waited while they were discussing whether we were to cancel tonight and postpone it. So to keep mentally very strong during that was a new test. I've been in the sport for a long time, but I'm experiencing something new every day.

“The training is one thing, of course. You can be in the best shape ever, but training only gets you so far. For competition, I know it's a great pressure that reveals the foundation, and for me that comes down to the reason I'm in sport: God's given me a gift, and it's my gift to give back to Him. So when I have all of the pressure and the rain and the crowd and the wind and the cold, I look to Him and just say, This is a passion that You've given me. I'm giving it back." It gives me this kind of fire that the rain can never drown out. I've been jumping now for 20 years it's still this absolute joy that I get to do this.

“I think Eleanor, who won the gold medal, just brings the very best out of me. Jumping close to 10 o'clock at night and being pushed to that level really revealed that the training's going well. This competition is a big one, but we've also got more for the rest of the season. So it's showing that we're heading in the right direction.

“Throughout Australia I think it's been a memorable night. People are waking up, having their breakfast cereal, and watching a world-class high jump competition in the rain.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Eleanor Patterson (copyright to Michael Thomas and Australian Athletics)