Eliza back on the runway
After damn near vaulting through the roof at Britomart on Wednesday night, Eliza McCartney seems set to lay on something special at the Auckland Track Challenge tomorrow.
Funnily enough, the chance for our latest Kiwi sporting success story to match, or even extend, her national pole vault record might not even be the highlight of what could be an explosive meet at the AUT Millennium Stadium (starting 2.30pm, with the international events under way at 3.45pm).
For that you probably can’t go past the world-class men’s shot put competition which will continue the engaging rivalry between American Olympic gold medallist Ryan Crouser and his Kiwi adversary, and Games bronze medallist, Tom Walsh.
Round one was won by the American at Christchurch’s Big Shot a week ago when he tossed the silver sphere 22.05m to nudge Walsh by 59cm. You know the big Kiwi has been stewing ever since for a dose of revenge.
Throw in giant American Ryan Whiting (a 22m thrower at his best), accomplished Aussie Damian Birkinhead and rising young Kiwi star Jacko Gill and you have yourself a heavyweight world-class competition that would not be out of place at the business end of the Diamond League.
But to McCartney first. On Wednesday, at the Vertical Pursuit pole vault event held indoors at Britomart’s Atrium in downtown Auckland, the 20-year-old whet the appetite beautifully.
Remarkably, in challenging conditions, with the runway and vaulting area squeezed into a constrained space, McCartney soared over 4.70m, a PB off her short 12-stride runup and just 10cm shy of the highest she has ever jumped, and the mark she set to win that memorable bronze in Rio last year.
‘‘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,’’ McCartney said, barely able to contain her enthusiasm. ‘‘Given good conditions on Sunday you never know what will happen.’’
Really, if it’s a warm, calm and dry afternoon, given the ease with which she surpassed 4.70m at Britomart, fans could expect to see her nudging that 4.80 mark at the Millennium.
Asked what height she wanted to hit this year, McCartney indicated she was not looking to put a ceiling on what might be achieved as she continues her stunning rise in the sport.
‘‘It’s a big question. At the moment I’ve got nothing in mind, and I’m just keeping an open mind, and attacking each competition as it presents. You’re always after a PB and in the European season I will really be going after those higher heights.’’
But all indications are that something spectacular could be in the offing sooner rather than later with McCartney who’s been focusing on technical aspects of her jump, and won’t progress to a longer, 16-stride runup till she hits Europe in May for the buildup to the August world champs in London.
‘‘It’s super exciting to come into my second competition of the season and jump a PB (for the short runup) and near my actual PB,’’ she reflected after Britomart. ‘‘It’s more than you can ask for. I’ve still got some major competitions for the domestic season coming up. Hopefully if conditions are good there [on Sunday] I’ll get 4.80 if I’m lucky.’’
Once again McCartney’s chief competition will come from American Morgan Leleux and Canadian Alysha Newman, though Kiwi youngster Olivia McTaggart, and her inexorable rise up the ranks, will also be worth a close watch.
Auckland’s Nick Southgate should again have things his own way in the men’s pole vault, though he’s promising to go much higher than the 5.20m he cleared at Britomart.
He vaulted 5.35m in Melbourne recently and would dearly love to give 4.40 or even 4.50 a nudge out at the Millennium, should the weather play ball.
Just how Walsh responds to Crouser’s early season statement of intent will be the chief interest in the much-anticipated men’s shot put.
Crouser made it clear he’s going nowhere after his 2016 heroics when he blasted past 22m in Christchurch, and the ball is now in Walsh’s court to offer a response. He managed a best of 21.46m (a national resident’s record) but had to bow to Crouser’s Kiwi allcomer’s record toss.
Gill will also be looking to get up into 21m territory after cracking the mark earlier this season, and if all three fire it could be the event of the day at the Millennium.
The other chief interest will settle on the women’s 800m with Olympian Angie Petty up against Kiwi rival Katherine Camp who beat her over the distance in January at the Capital Classic. Aussies Heidi See and Georgia Wassall should ensure it’s a highly competitive race.
The men’s 800m shapes as an Aussie benefit with their national champion Luke Matthews heading a quartet of sub-1:48 runners, and New Zealand’s best over the distance, Brad Mathas, a scratching.
The men’s 5000m could be the race of the meet, with Kiwi 1500m specialists Hamish Carson and Eric Speakman up against a trio of Aussie Rio Olympians in Dave McNeill, Brett Robinson and Sam McEntee.
New Zealand’s two-time Olympic 1500m medallist Nick Willis will be pacemaker for the race.