McCartney winning ahead of Games

ATHLETICS

Eliza McCartney was in top form in the women’s pole vault Commonwealth Games trial, clearing 4.70m off a short 10-step run-up at the 2018 Potts Classic in Hastings on Saturday. The result has given the 21-year-old North Harbour Bays Athletics member the confidence to have a crack at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham in five weeks, ahead of her first Commonwealth Games in early April. The victory was all the more meritorious given that McCartney broke a pole in her warm-up, but the Olympic bronze medallist took it in her stride, revealing later that it was the first time in her career that she had snapped a pole. North Harbour Bays’ Olivia McTaggart cleared 4.30m for second ahead of Liz Parnov from Australia on 4.15m.

Nicole Bradley had a great competition in the women’s hammer, heaving a best of 66.07m to improve her personal best by 1.50m, falling just 1.43m short of the Commonwealth Games B nomination target. The North Harbour Bays’ athlete also set an Auckland record. North Harbour Bays’ Zoe Hobbs won the 100m Games trial for women and North Harbour Bays’ Symone Tafuna’I finished third in a personal best 11.95. Portia Bing ran 53.86 to take out the women’s 400m race, Amanda Holyer won the 3000m steeplechase and Alexander Parkinson threw 55.58m to win the discus.The New Zealand athletics team for the Gold Coast

‘‘A great chance to learn my craft from a very experienced coach’’

Forrest Hill Milford coach Sam Jasper

Commonwealth Games will be announced on Friday, February 2.

FOOTBALL

Forrest Hill Milford United AFC signed Sam Jasper and Clive Campbell as their men’s first team coaches for the 2018 season. Jasper was involved last season as a player and this will be his first major coaching role. Campbell has a rich playing and coaching background. The former New Zealand representative was the first player to bring up 200 national league appearances. More recently Campbell has been coaching at Mt Wellington, North Shore and Takapuna. ‘‘I’m really pleased to be appointed and excited about the prospect of building a strong side capable of gaining promotion back to the Premier League in 2019. Coaching together with Clive will give me a great chance to learn my craft from a very experienced coach,’’ Jasper said.

DIANNE MANSON Eliza McCartney won the pole vault at the Potts Classic despite breaking a pole in warm up.