Local high jumper Tessa Schmelzer has once again raised the bar for South African athletics, claiming first place in the Women’s 60/65 age category at the 2025 European Masters Championships on the island of Madeira, Portugal.
Tessa’s winning performance not only earned her first place but also set a new South African record, adding to her already impressive track record in masters athletics. Competing in the younger W60 division, due to her mid-competition birthday, her jump placed her ahead of all 16 European competitors, highlighting her continued world dominance in that event.
“The surface was unusually hard and less springy than expected, but the preparation paid off,” Tessa reflected. “It wasn’t my highest clearance ever, but I’m proud of how I competed — and setting a national record at this level is always special.”
She will now turn her focus toward the South African summer season, with her next competition scheduled for 8 November in Potchefstroom, before she begins preparing for the European Indoor Circuit culminating in the European Indoor Championship at the impressive Torun Indoor stadium in Poland next year.