16 Aug 2016

Eliza McCartney chases pole vault dream

From Checkpoint, 6:18 pm on 16 August 2016

New Zealand's pole vaulting hope at the Rio Olympics, Eliza McCartney, is only 19 and hitting new heights every time she takes to the track.

She's ranked seventh in the world and currently holds the world junior record.

Nevertheless, she said she would be battling nerves once the competition started tomorrow morning.

"The last vault session we had before coming to Rio was awesome. It was everything I could hope for," she said.

"We're working hard still on the same things so I'm really happy with how training's been going... I think it's really important to enjoy it and, as long as I'm out there and enjoying it and giving it everything I can, it'll be fine."