Patterson crowned champion, Hull third as injury ends Nina’s season
She was already a world championship gold medallist, a two-time Commonwealth Games champion and an Olympic bronze medallist.
Now, after a dominant display in Brussels, high jump star Eleanor Patterson is a Diamond League champion.
Eleanor Patterson celebrates being crowned a Diamond League champion. Getty Images
“I’m a little bit numb, honestly,” the 30-year-old Victorian said.
“I know it’s not easy to win a Diamond League, but to win a Diamond League final feels incredible.”
Patterson became only the ninth Australian to be crowned a Diamond League champion as the season finale wrapped up on Sunday (Australian time).
Middle-distance prodigy Cameron Myers had become the eighth a day earlier with a stellar victory in the men’s 1500 metres.
Patterson won the women’s high jump final in Belgium with a clearance of 2.01 metres.
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the world record holder and reigning Olympic champion, finished second with a 1.99m jump, and Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers, the reigning world champion, took third with a 1.95m clearance.
“I knew I was in incredible shape, but you have to allow that to come to fruition,” Patterson said.
“I am really, really content with how today turned out.”
Australia’s Jessica Hull also podiumed on day two of the Diamond League final, finishing third in the women’s 1500m.
The Olympic silver medallist was in the lead when the pacemaker dropped out at the bell, before Poland’s Klaudia Kazimierska kicked past her on the back straight and charged away to win.
Hull lost second place on the line to Kenya’s Dorcus Ewoi.
Kazimierska won in 3:54.05 – the fastest time in the world this year – as Ewoi took second in 3:54.72 and Hull third in 3:54.73.
It’s Hull’s fastest time since she clocked a blistering 3:52.67 at last year’s Prefontaine Classic in Oregon.
Jessica Hull finishing third in the women’s 1500m at the Diamond League final. Australian Athletics/Louie Hadfield
‘I’ve cried out everything’: Nina’s season over
Australia’s Olympic gold medal-winning pole vaulter Nina Kennedy didn’t compete at the Diamond League final – and her season is over – after she suffered a quad strain in training.
Kennedy was locked in for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships, taking place in Budapest from September 11-13, but the West Australian revealed in a video message to her 187,000 Instagram followers that she had shut down her season.
“I’m really devo [devastated]. I know it probably doesn’t look like I’m devo, but I’ve cried out everything that needs to be cried the last few days, so I’ve come to terms with it,” Kennedy said.
“It’s such a weird season, and it’s weird to end like this, but I’m obviously really proud of myself for putting myself out there and still daring to dream.
“I really did think I was going to come back and jump really high in Budapest, but it wasn’t meant to be. I guess that’s what we sign up for as athletes, isn’t it? To dream, and then to just get stabbed.
“Look, sport is such a privilege, so it’s a total first-world problem. But I’ll be back next year – and we’ve got unfinished business.”
Kennedy will be out to reclaim the world title in Beijing in September next year.
She missed the 2025 world championships in Tokyo because of a hamstring injury.
