As with so many young athletes, Eleanor Patterson dreamed of becoming a world or Olympic champion.
Key points:
Patterson equalled the Australian record to clinch gold
She quit the sport four years ago before resurrecting her career
Patterson is the first Australian woman to win a world championship or Olympic gold in the event
After claiming Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow in 2014 as a shy teenager from the Victorian country town of Leongatha, Patterson struggled to cope with the resultant pressure and attention.
She left the Rio Olympics in tears after failing to qualify for the final and then walked away from the sport in 2018, seemingly for good, having missed out on selection for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
The turning point came a year later when she moved to Sydney to link up with new coach Alex Stewart.
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