McCartney puts on a stellar show
This was Eliza McCartney’s show, no doubt, and the Rio Olympic bronze medallist wasn’t going to fluff her lines as pole vault took its aerial act to the people in downtown Auckland last night.
McCartney won the women’s event of the Vertical Challenge, a special pole vault event staged indoors in The Atrium at Auckland’s Britomart, with considerable ease. That wasn’t the story though.
What got tongues wagging among the hundreds who attended was the height she cleared.
With space at a premium, her runup restricted to the 12-stride one she will confine herself to this Kiwi summer, and conditions challenging, to say the least, McCartney soared over 4.70 metres to equal her national indoors record achieved at the worlds in Portland last year and tick off a world champs qualifier in the process.
It was also her best ever height off the short runup, and just 10cm off the PB she set at the national champs in Dunedin, and then equalled in claiming that memorable bronze in Rio.
The 20-year-old Aucklander, all things considered, was ecstatic with both her 4.70 clearance and the occasion in general.
‘‘To be able to get up near my PB was just awesome,’’ she said of the joy she exhibited when she soared over the 4.70 mark at her first attempt.
And she gave the event, taking her beautifully balletic sport to the people of downtown Auckland, a resounding thumbs-up.
‘‘It was pretty cool,’’ she added. ‘‘This is not a well-known sport in particular, and it’s really good to see people are really interested in it and they want to come along and watch and learn.
‘‘I have to admit I was very nervous beforehand − more nervous than usual, just because it’s such a different situation. I just wasn’t sure how it was going to play out. But the good thing about these sort of events is you get the adrenalin up and that really helps you run faster and get up on your poles.’’
And, yes, she still finds it a little wired that the great majority of the people who crammed into The Atrium were here to see her. ‘‘I still find that quite funny, but it’s really cool.’’
McCartney gave her PB of 4.80 a decent crack, especially with her second attempt that was very close, but said the 4.70 clearance was a promising indicator indeed for what lies ahead.
‘‘I don’t want to jinx it but it’s really, really exciting to be jumping this high, especially as I’ve only just opened a couple of weeks ago for the season. I couldn’t be happier.’’
Louisiana native Morgan Leleux, who thrilled the crowd by giving away Maris Gras beads after each of her clearances, finished second with 4.40m, shading Canadian Alysha Newman on a countback after she too stalled on the same height.
Kiwi teenage prodigy Olivia McTaggart was fourth on 4.10m, while her fellow national squad member Imogen Ayris had to settle for a best of 3.90m.
National champion Nick Southgate easily won the men’s competition with a 5.20m clearance, comfortably clear of German Vincent Hobbie who showed the benefits of his training under Jeremy McColl out at the Millennium to clear 4.90m.