New Zealand pole vaulter Eliza McCartney has edged closer to the magic five-metre mark in clearing a season-leading world best in Jockgrim, Germany.
Pole vaulter Eliza McCartney Photo: Photosport
The 4.94m effort moves McCartney to No.3 on the all-time list behind retired Russian Yelena Isinbayeva (5.06m) and American Sandi Morris (5.00m).
McCartney also broke her own New Zealand record by 2cm, bettering the 4.92m she set two weeks ago in Mannheim.
The 21-year-old Aucklander warmed up with early clearances over 4.60m and 4.70m on her first attempts, then 4.80m and 4.87m with second efforts.
McCartney, who won silver at the Commonwealth Games in April and bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, then soared over 4.94m on her third attempt before going on to tackle 5.01m.
She missed her first attempt before bad weather halted the competition.
Second place went to American Jennifer Suhr on 4.87m, while Englishwoman Holly Bradshaw was third with 4.80m.
Fellow New Zelander Olivia McTaggart was also competing, but missed all three attempts at her opening height of 4.15m.
McCartney, who cleared 4.72m in finishing fourth at the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne recently, has another shot at a 5m clearance at this weekend's meeting in Monaco.
Shot putters Tom Walsh and Dame Valerie Adams will also be competing on Friday morning.
-RNZ
