Patterson finds new beginning with coach Stewart

By the age of 18, high jumper Eleanor Patterson had a Commonwealth Games gold medal to her name, and by 20 she was an Olympian. But at 22, when she should have been reaching new heights in her career, she found herself out of the sport.

2018 saw Patterson crash to a career-low when failing to qualify for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games - a feat she would have achieved with her eyes closed just years earlier. 

This seemed to be the last straw for the once-prodigious junior. 

“I had stepped away from the sport essentially for a year and I was unsure if I wanted to continue,” she said. 

After a year of soul searching, Patterson discovered two things - a new-found self-belief and the perfect coach. 

“I finally decided within myself that I wanted to get back in to the sport and knew that I wasn’t finished,” she said. 

Alex Stewart was the last piece of the puzzle. 

A decorated coach with an established group in Sydney featuring Brandon Starc, Stewart was put in charge of rejuvenating Patterson’s career. 

“When I met up with Alex, I knew that it was a sure thing and that we could work really well together,” she said. 

“I felt instantly welcome.” 

In the space of eight months, Patterson would fall back in love with jumping and exceed all expectations, culminating in a 1.99m clearance in February of 2020 to break Vanessa Ward’s 31-year-old Australian record. 

Such significant progress comes off the back of a relationship with Stewart built on mutual respect and communication. 

“I feel like underneath Alex’s tutelage I have grown so much as an athlete and learnt so much, and I feel like I am more myself up in Sydney,” she said.

“His thinking points have really worked for me and they are a great asset to the improvements I have been able to make.” 

Still only 24-years-old, Patterson is adamant that her best is still ahead of her under Stewart, who is now Athletics Australia’s Event Group Lead for High Jump. 

“It’s been a year to work on so many little things, obviously taking a year out of the sport I had a lot to work on,” she said. 

“Even from years before there’s weaknesses so I’ve had some extra time to work on those.” 

Patterson is unlikely to compete again until February but says she will be looking to keep pushing the boundaries and mixing it with the world’s best in 2021. 

“I feel like I’m really hitting my straps in training and training really well, so I’m just hoping to continue that trajectory with the return of competitions,” she said. 

“Ultimately that’s the biggest goal - to be prepped and ready to jump really big in Tokyo,” she said.  

And Stewart will be in her corner every step of the way. 

By Lachlan Moorhouse

Posted: 27/12/2020