Kiwi star happy in pole position
Eliza McCartney has launched her final preparations for the Olympics. MARC HINTON gets the lowdown.
Eliza McCartney bounds up at the assigned meeting place, all arms and legs and hair and unbridled enthusiasm. Clearly some things don’t change. It’s seven months since a similar get-together, just a stone’s throw from where we are now, and so much has happened in the life of this rising young star of New Zealand sport.
Back then she had been an 18-year-old pole vaulting prodigy fast-tracking her way up the heights and through her sport’s record books. Now she’s a 19-yearold soon-to-be Olympian who has literally leapt into New Zealand’s sporting consciousness, with her athletic prowess, sparkling personality and stunning potential.
Shortly she will compete in her first Olympics, and will do so as one of the top-10 athletes in her discipline. Take out a questionable Russian or two, and she’s a real chance to head in around the No 7 ranked vaulter for 2016. That puts this Takapuna teen well and truly in the medal conversation.
It’s easy to forget sometimes that McCartney is still a teenager − she doesn’t turn 20 until December 11 − taking her baby steps in international track and field. She does, after all, have her own TV ad already and on the back of a sizzling summer of pole vaulting has become one of our bright young prospects for the Rio Olympics.
Seven months ago she was this incredible fusion of potential and excitement, and she took that and transferred it into the sort of results that have had people sitting up and taking notice. During an incredible period, where she seemed to be breaking marks on a weekly basis, she set a world junior record (of 4.64m), then extended her own New Zealand bests to 4.65m, to 4.71m and, finally, to an Oceania record, and world leading, 4.80m at the nationals in Dunedin.
She also went on to place fifth at the world indoor championships, with 4.70m, in what was essentially her first big-time international competition. In a sport as technical and complex as the pole vault, this is a young woman worth getting very, very excited about.
In many ways Rio will be a ‘‘free swing’’ for her, given her age, lack of experience and the fact that until this year it wasn’t even seriously on the radar. She laughs at the thought she can just saunter in with no pressure on and give it a rip.
‘‘It is a funny situation,’’ she agrees. ‘‘At first I was like ‘this is awesome’, I’m so happy to go ... but the more you think about it, you don’t want to waste an opportunity. I do feel like I don’t have a lot of pressure, but I also don’t want to feel like I’ve left something on the field.‘‘
To that end the next month is crucial. McCartney is coming off a heavy block of training, and hopes to tick off three or four meets in Europe, starting with the Monaco Diamond League on July 15. Those pre-Games hitouts are crucial for an athlete looking to recapture the edge and rhythm competition.
‘‘It’s really good to compete, get that adrenalin up and deal with that because it does change how you jump,’’ she says. ‘‘I’ve only really jumped once [at the elite level] and that was at the world indoors, and I need experience.
‘‘I’d love to get back to where we were in the middle of the summer ... it’s something that can come back quickly, and it would be good to go into Rio feeling like you’ve done everything you can and you’re ready to go.’’
As much as she can off a big training block, McCartney feels like key improvements, and gains, have of high-level been made. And that the world indoors experience is something she’s better for having gone through.
‘‘I learnt how to deal with the situation because in the end my nerves and the adrenalin really got to me. I didn’t realise at the time but I was almost forgetting things I shouldn’t be. I was thinking more about the outcome and the heights and not about the process, and that’s a big no-no.
‘‘So it was a real eye-opener in how to approach it and not get caught up in the nerves of the situation.’’
McCartney is a smart cookie. She wants to be a doctor some day, and more recently she’s been examining the Olympics, and what a typical first-time experience entails. To that end she’s been picking the brains of people she trusts.
‘‘That’s been very helpful. One of the things I’ve had a lot is don’t necessarily block out the fact you’re at the Olympics. You want to take it in, be excited by the situation and then move on, and focus on your process.
‘‘I think you want to enjoy that process too. If you’re so focused on the outcome and wanting to medal or whatever, you get so caught up in it and don’t necessarily do what you want achieve. It’s important to take a step back and enjoy it.’’
McCartney certainly appears to have developed a healthy perspective. Last summer was great, she says, but you move on. She understands there is still so much more to achieve in a sport where the sky really is the limit.
Asked what she walks away from Rio happy with, the trademark grin breaks out. ‘‘It sounds cheesy but it’s just bettering myself. I want to have the best technical competition I’ve ever had. If I can do the best competition I can, and nail the things I’ve been working on, I will be very happy.’’
Reach for the sky. You just never know how far it will get you.