McCartney set to soar in Vertical Pursuit
Kiwi pole vault sensation Eliza McCartney is poised to deliver something special as the sport takes its high-flying show to the streets of inner-city Auckland today.
The Rio Olympic bronze medallist is the headline act for the Vertical Pursuit competition at Sky City’s Federal St precinct (3pm start), and her coach says the public wanting to get a look at some world-class vaulting can expect to see McCartney rounding into top form as she builds towards her tilt at Commonwealth Games gold.
‘‘She’s completely injury-free at the moment, and has been the last two months. She is jumping really well in training, had a great [world] indoors meet, and is looking to push on now into Commonwealth Games time,’’ national pole vault coach Jeremy McColl said.
‘‘Eliza is just happy to be back competing and she loves the chance to jump in front of what should be a big local crowd because you don’t often get that opportunity. You can get a bit of crowd interaction, and you feel like you’re jumping with the people, not just for them.
‘‘I think she’ll jump with it.’’
McCartney will have some decent competition to measure herself against as well, though
She’s completely injury-free at the moment, and has been the last two months. Pole vault coach Jeremy McColl
really well McColl confirmed it will not include age-grade star and Commonwealth Games team-mate Olivia McTaggart, who is still recovering from an ankle injury picked up at the national champs.
‘‘She is in good hands with the medical team doing everything they can to get her right for the Commonwealth Games, and it’s just not worth rushing to get ready for these meets.’’
But McCartney, who cleared an Oceania indoor record 4.75 metres to finish fourth at the recent world indoors in Birmingham, should be kept honest by the presence of quality vaulters Morgan LeLeux (US) and Anicka Newell (Canada).
LeLeux and Newell have both cleared 4.65m, and should ensure McCartney has to be up around the 4.70m she vaulted to win last year’s competition indoors at Britomart. The field will be completed by current national champion Imogen Ayris, who jumped a PB of 4.15m to claim the title.
McColl confirmed McCartney would remain on the 12-stride runup she used at the world indoors, though the plan was to extend that to 14 by the Gold Coast.
McColl also predicted Commonwealth Games-bound Nick Southgate would thrill the crowd in an all-Kiwi men’s competition that pits him against James Steyn and Etienne Du Preez.
McColl rates Southgate a shot at Commonwealth Games bronze on the Gold Coast if he can nudge his PB of 5.47m up to somewhere around the 4.60 mark.