High jump medals for Patterson and Olyslagers

Eleanor Patterson and Nicola Olyslagers helped push each other onto the podium in an emotion-charged women's high jump in Budapest, lifting Australia to a best-ever medal haul of six at a world athletics championships.

Defending world champion Patterson - who underwent surgery to have a plate inserted in her broken left foot in February - twice improved her season's best and moved into the silver-medal position with a first-time clearance at 1.99 metres.

Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the gold on Sunday (early Monday AEST) as the only jumper to clear 2.01m.

It was an emotional victory for the 21-year-old, who was forced to flee her hometown of Dnipro shortly after the war with Russia began last year.

She now trains in Germany and lives in Belgium.

Mahuchikh was the only member of the 29-strong Ukrainian squad in Budapest to win gold.

Athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus were banned from the championships due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

"She has been such a pillar of strength for her people and representation for them," said Patterson.

"In such trying times, to see her come away with such a victory for her nation, it's an incredible story."

Even with such an interrupted buildup, Patterson believed she was capable of clearing two metres in the final, and maybe more.

"I definitely put my back up against the wall," she said.

"I'm proud of the performance tonight and of Nicola as well.

"It's been a tough year and having third-attempt clearances showed that I didn't have many comps under my belt.

"I made it tough for myself but I'm just incredibly proud that I was able to come through with 1.99, a season's best."

Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Olyslagers, 26, got the bronze behind Patterson on countback with a second-time clearance at 1.99m.

It was only her second defeat in 11 competitions this year.

The two Australians embraced at the conclusion of the event.

"What I love is that we are both so unique in the way that we jump, the coaches we have, the lifestyle that we have," said Olyslagers.

"Australia has done really well in complementing where we are, rather than putting us into a box where it has to be done this way or that way."

It was the first time Australia had ever produced two medallists in the one event at a world athletics championships.

Australia finished the nine-day titles in Budapest with a record haul of six medals, bettering the previous high-water mark of four set in Seville in 1999 and equalled in Berlin in 2009.

The sole gold came from Nina Kennedy in the women's pole vault.

On three previous occasions, Australia had won two golds at a world titles.

The only other Australian in action on the final day of the championships was Stewart McSweyn who was 13th in a men's 5000m final won by Norwegian superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

AUSTRALIAN MEDALLISTS AT THE 2023 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Gold

Nina Kennedy - women's pole vault

Silver

Jemima Montag - women's 20km walk

Eleanor Patterson - women's high jump

Bronze

Mackenzie Little - women's javelin

Kurtis Marschall - men's pole vault

Nicola Olyslagers - women's high jump