Joel Baden

BIOGRAPHY

Nine years after leaping an extraordinary 2.29m in 2014 as an 18-year-old, Joel Baden compiled his best season yet in 2023. He opened the season leaping a PB of 2.33m (#3 Australian all-time) in March, he confirmed that new standard with a 2.32m winning height at the Australian championships – his second National title of his career. 

He analysed why at 27 he has compiled his best domestic season yet. “I think there are many factors. I've continued to build off last year's season in which I had the highest number of consistent, high-quality jumps in training when compared to previous years. However, this caused problems with my jumping knee, namely patella tendinopathy. So since then, we've continued (Sandro and I) to maintain those quality jump sessions but find the right balance between training and knee prehab. Aside from this, I feel much more experienced as an athlete, feel well-rounded in life generally, and self-assured with my abilities.”

In July he was named in the Australian team for the Budapest World Championships, his fourth world championships team. At the championships, Joel cleared 2.14m in the qualifying round, to place 16th in his group.
His 2024 campaign included a best height of 2.28m, second place at Nationals and third at Oceania in June.

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Joel Baden grew up in Geelong and started athletics when his parents took him to Little Athletics aged 5 or 6. Between 16 and 18-years, his high jump best gradually rose from 2.12 to 2.20m. It earned him a berth at the 2014 IAAF World Juniors where he made the final. Seemingly his first experience on the international stage spurred him on as three months later, at a schoolboy meet in Melbourne, he cleared an extraordinary 2.29m, winning the competition by 34cm. The clearance delivered him a qualifier for the 2015 IAAF World Championships where, as a teenager, he performed well clearing 2.26m and was just one height short of a finals berth. During the 2015/16 domestic season, he managed a best of 2.24m and placed second at the nationals. He required 2.29m to qualify for Rio, a height he achieved in late June in Cairns. In Rio, he cleared 2.17m in the qualifying rounds. He won the 2017 Australian Championships with a modest 2.18m. 

It was a strong start to the 2018 domestic season for Baden with two 2.20m leaps and a 2.24m clearance. The defending national champion placed equal second at the 2018 Australian Championships with a height of 2.21m. At the Commonwealth Games he was knocked out in the qualifying rounds with a clearance of 2.15m. Following a 2018/19 domestic season with a best of just 2.20m at the national championships, Joel was a surprise winner at a PB height of 2.30m (= #5 Australian all-time), securing a Doha World Championships qualifier.
The next two years, 2020 and 2021, Joel cleared a season’s best of 2.24m each year, including placing second in the 2021 Nationals. 

Following a consistent 2022 season with three jumps over 2.26m and podium finishes at the National Championships and Oceania Championships, Victorian Joel Baden has named for the high jump for the World Championships.
At his third world championships, Joel made his first global final with a commanding 2.28m in the qualifying rounds. In the final he cleared 2.27m to placed 10th his best place for Australia in his fifth Australian team.

Hobbies/Interests: Thinking about philosophy, religion and politics. Also enjoy playing and producing music …Influence - “My coach Sandro Bisetto would be one of them. He took me under his wing when I was in early high school, which was a huge change and benefit to my jumping, especially given his experience and history coaching some of the best Australian high jumpers, including Olympic bronze medallist and national record holder Tim Forsyth. He's a great mentor.”… Coach Bisetto: I first met Sandro in 2011 after he invited me to a National High Jump Camp. Despite some strange antics on that trip including hiding in wardrobes, he still decided to coach me…Education: Currently (2023) studying Bachelor of I.T at RMIT part-time…Interesting Fact: Recently engaged (June)… Advice to your young self? : You're not lost as long as you know what your values are…

@ 22 June 2024 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au