Eleanor Patterson in the girls High Jump at the IAAF World Youth Championships 2013 (© Getty Images)
Australia’s Eleanor Patterson not only took the High Jump crown with six centimetres to spare over her nearest challenger but the 17-year-old also registered a lifetime best of 1.88m.
Having qualified for the final with an energy-conserving 1.74m, her only jump on Wednesday morning, Patterson cleared 1.88m on her second attempt before three failures at what would have been a 2013 world-leading 1.91m.
Italy’s Erika Furlani was a distant second with a 1.82m personal best.
Patterson, whose previous best of 1.87m was established back in December, opened her campaign at the 1.79m mark, clearing that height, 1.82m and then 1.85m each on her first attempt, the latter effort clinching victory.
Her first foul arrived at 1.88m t which she then continued to clear on her second effort, to add lustre to Australia’s first title in the event.
However, it’s worth noting that that the 1.90m 2013 world youth lead which was registered by Britain’s Morgan Lake earlier in the day during the first day of the heptathlon.
Furlani was a surprise silver medallist, having a best of just 1.78m indoors this winter and not featuring in the top 10 girls this year.
She went over 1.79m with her second attempt and then took the silver medal when she went over 1.82m with her third and final attempt before, thrilled with her place on the podium, she decided to call it a day after watching Patterson go clear and taking one half-hearted attempt at 1.85m, content with her unexpected second place.
Africa will have two places on the podium from both ends of the continent.
South Africa’s Julia Du Plessis and Morocco’s Rhizlane Siba both had clean sheets up to and including 1.79m before failing at 1.82m Brazil’s Ana Paula De Oliveira also went over 1.79m first time but had failures earlier in the completion and had to settle for fifth place.
