Raising the Bar | Australians impress in Stockholm as Tokyo approaches

Nicola McDermott became the first Australian woman to clear 2.00m in the high jump earlier this year, and just weeks out from Tokyo she surpassed her own record at the Stockholm Diamond League.

Nicola McDermott (Matt Horsnell) continued her historic season when surpassing her own Australian and Oceania record with a 2.01m clearance that saw her finish in second place behind Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchukh.

The feat was the second occasion on which McDermott has soared over the elusive two-metre barrier, having become the first Australian woman to do when setting her previous national record of 2.00m at this year’s Australian Track and Field Championships.

The performance has the name “McDermott” prominent among discussions for medal contenders at the Tokyo Olympics – with the result good enough to claim high jump gold at the Rio 2016 Olympics, and a podium finish at any previous Games except for Athens 2004.

“I love being surrounded by the international circuit, to be surrounded by professional athletes is such an encouraging environment and I have really missed competing with the buzz in the atmosphere – it feels like home inside a major stadium,” she said.

“I’ve got a good system and a good routine, but I have faith that allows me to jump a lot higher than my body is really capable of. I think 2.01m is certainly possible to be in the medals, so I’m aiming and training as if it’s already sealed and I’m just believing that I can do it.”

McDermott has trained under the tutelage of Matt Hornsell for over a decade and credits the guidance of her team as a major factor in her success to date.

“A good routine doesn’t work without the foundations of training blocks, great coach communication and having a strong ‘why’ to maintaining the purpose and passion to continue putting in 100 per cent into every jump,” she said.

“I think the way I’ve been taught to balance those different variables is my strongest asset leading into Tokyo.”

Fellow Australian Eleanor Patterson (Alex Stewart) impressed once again when clearing 1.96m to gain another look at equaling her personal best of 1.99m – the mark that stood as the national record until April.

Patterson was last week selected for her second Olympic Games and is building some strong momentum towards Tokyo after a troublesome domestic season with a series of injuries, with a world class Australian duo a prospect that has McDermott excited.

“To jump with Eleanor is such a privilege, I always was so inspired by her growing up in the same age group – she was world class at such a young age. To be sending the two greatest women in Australian high jump history to the same Olympics is so special,” McDermott said.

Catriona Bisset (Peter Fortune) has consolidated her stunning form with a third consecutive sub two-minute run over 800m, clocking 1:59.13 to finish in fifth place.

Bisset has redefined the standard for Australian women in the event, recently setting a new national record of 1:58.09 in Poland to better her previous mark of 1:58.78 from 2019. The reigning national champion is racing with a newfound confidence and aggression this season that allows her to mix it with the world’s best.

Genevieve Gregson (Nic Bideau) returned to the barriers when running 9:23.24 for seventh place in the 3000m steeplechase – her fastest time since 2016.

The timing is immaculate for the soon-to-be three-time Olympian, with the performance leaving room for improvement after Gregson faded over the final lap. Likely to be sharpened by races under her belt, Gregson’s 9:14.28 national record is a mark that could fall as she approaches career-best form on the eve of the Games.

Also in Europe this weekend, Matthew Ramsden (Nic Bideau) clocked a new 1500m personal best of 3:34.08 for a second place finish in Heusden. While Ramsden missed out on Olympic selection due to the depth of Australian field in the event, his run moves him to ninth on the Australian all-time list.

Australian athletics competition continues on Friday with the Monaco Diamond League. Stewart McSweyn, Jye Edwards, Catriona Bisset and Genevieve Gregson just some of the names entered on a track renowned for fast times.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 5/7/2021