Athletics world blown away by 26-year Aussie first not seen since Cathy Freeman
Fans have taken to social media in droves to congratulate Australia's athletes on a record medal haul at the world athletics indoor championships in China. The women's 4x400m relay team emulated a feat not seen since Cathy Freeman's glory days after claiming the nation's first medal in the event for 26 years, to cap off a record haul of seven medals for Australia at the athletics meet in Nanjing.
Sprinter Lachlan Kennedy, distance runners Jessica Hull and Ky Robinson, high jumpers Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson and longjumper Liam Adcock had already combined to make it Australia's most successful indoor championships of all time, with medals in their respective events. But the 4x400m relay team of Ellie Beer, Ella Connolly, Bella Pasquali and Jemma Pollard claimed bronze to wrap up the nation's seventh medal and smash the previous record in style.
The relay result was the first time an Australian team has scored a medal in the event since Olympic legend Cathy Freeman anchored the green and gold to silver at the 1999 world indoor championships in Japan. In an incredible final session on Sunday night in Nanjing, Georgia Griffith also set a new Australian indoor record for the 1500m after finishing fourth in a time of 4:00.80.
🚨 MEDAL ALERT! 🚨For the first time in 26 YEARS, 🇦🇺 Australia have won a medal in the women's indoor 4x400m relay! 🥉🙌2025 #WorldIndoorChamps | March 21-23 | SBS On Demand 📺 pic.twitter.com/3wyrjcVlO6
— SBS Sport (@SBSSportau) March 23, 2025
High jump queen Olyslagers grabbed the headlines after becoming the nation's first multiple world indoor gold medallist after downing countrywoman Eleanor Patterson in a gripping one-two finish for Australia. Both Aussie women recorded a best clearance of 1.97m, with Olyslagers taking out the gold on count-back, as Patterson had missed one attempt at 1.92m. Ukraine's world record holder and reigning Olympic champ Yaroslava Mahuchikh (1.95m) claimed the bronze, also on count-back.
Olyslagers is also a two-time Olympic silver medallist from the Tokyo and Paris Games, and her latest triumph follows two world indoor crowns in Glasgow last year. "This is the first time I've come from a gold-medal position to try and defend something outside of Australia," a beaming Olyslagers said after her victory.
"I knew that if I wanted to jump as high as I wanted, to be as competitive as I wanted, I needed to do things outside of my normal comfort zone. I needed to do something new, like start a world championships as my first competition of the season - to do something crazy. Going into it, I was really inspired by Yaroslava's world record attempts last year, and how she changed her new run-up, so I was jumping with a new run-up today. I want to jump as high as Yaroslava. If I want to be competitive, I needed to be trying and changing things up."
In the evening session, Aussie longjumper Adcock earned a first major medal in his maiden appearance at a world indoor competition, courtesy of whopping 8.28m leap. It could have been even better as his opening-round leap ended up being just one centimetre behind Jamaican silver medalist Wayne Pinnock's 8.29 and two adrift of Italian winner Mattia Furlani's 8.30.
With Kennedy finishing second in the men's 60m on Friday and Jess Hull and Ky Robinson grabbing bronze in the two 3000m races on Saturday, it set the stage for Australia's 4x400m women's relay team to cement Australia's record seven-medal haul. And the young Aussie team wrapped up the historic event for the country by finishing third out of the five entrants in a time of 3min 32.65. The USA were well out in front to claim gold in 3:27.45, with Poland taking the silver medal.
Track, field, relays ✅✅✅A record medal haul of seven for Australia at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China 🇨🇳 #AthleticsNation pic.twitter.com/JrwJh2JioG
— Australian Athletics (@AustralianAths) March 23, 2025
Australia truly shone at the #IndoorWorldChamps! 🌟The team clinched an impressive seven medals - 🥇🥈🥈🥉🥉🥉🥉 - a new record and surpasses their previous best of four medals from Toronto 1993. What an incredible achievement! 🎉@AustralianAths pic.twitter.com/cHKapIuUNn
— Brisbane 2032 (@Brisbane_2032) March 23, 2025
The seven-medal total saw the Australian athletics team smash the nation's previous best haul of four set in Toronto way back in 1993, sparking an outpouring of messages from proud Aussie fans across social media. "Congratulations to all our wonderful athletes," one fan wrote. "You have really done yourselves proud and given our country something to really get excited about. To all your families and coaches, thank you for all your support. Success really takes a team."
Another supporter wrote: "How I love seeing you Aussies 1 and 2. Congratulations," in response to the gold and silver medals for Olyslagers and Patterson in the women's high jump. "All Aussie medal winners were fabulous," said another proud fan. Another added: "Fantastic representation for Australia."
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