by Alfonz Juck
Eliza McCartney, photo by PhotoRun.net
Ryan Crouser, photo by PhotoRun.net
McCartney 482, Crouser twice 22.15
AUCKLAND (NZL, Feb 26): New Zealand´s Olympic pole vault medalist Eliza McCartney was the local star at the Auckland Track Challenge meet. After her impressive 470 clearance indoors at Britomart on Wednesday to win the Vertical Pursuit, the 20-year-old Aucklander thrilled a big crowd in sunny conditions with a clearance of 482. That improved her own PB, and national record, by 2cm, and was also a 1cm improvement on Alana Boyd’s Oceania record. “I was super happy to get that, not only because it’s my all-time PB, it’s also a massive PB for the runup I was on, and I’m pretty sure it’s a world lead for the year and an Oceania record. So I banged them all out in one which is really nice,” she said. She then tried at 490. “I think I would have been able to give 4.90 a much better crack if I hadn’t had all that emotion in the competition beforehand. My legs were quite jelly and shaky by the end of it, so it becomes much harder to control the runup and takeoff,” McCartney added. Canada’s Alysha Newman finished second with 450, while American Morgann Leleux (440) shaded Auckland youngster Olivia McTaggart (430) for third. Another superb result in men shot put as Olympic winner Ryan Crouser achieved massive 22.15 World lead and NZ All-Comers record ahead of Tom Walsh 21.88 (NZ resident record) and Jacko Gill 20.92 with Damien Birkinhead 20.54. “I kind of surprised myself a little bit last week in Christchurch,” said Crouser who threw 22.52 to win the Olympic gold in Rio. “I was just hoping to match Christchurch here and managed to be really consistent. This is probably my most consistent meet outside of the Olympics and it’s still really early so I’m really, really happy,” said Crouser. His superb series: 21.71 – 22.03 – 21.43 – 22.08 – 22.15 – 22.15. On the track, it was an Australia sweep of the first four places in the men’s 800m, with Josh Ralph winning (1:47.75), similar story in the 5000 m where the visitors from across the Tasman filled the first four spots as well, headed by Brett Robinson who won in 13:22.93 over Dave McNeill 13:29.11. Katherine Marshall (2:02.90) caused an upset in the women’s 800m when she beat Rio Olympian Angie Petty (2:03.05) in the 800 m. With the help from stuff.co.nz.
Here’s the video of Eliza McCartney’s pole vault NR and Oceanic record:
Here is Eliza McCartney’s AR and outdoor WL of 4.82 at the second attempt in the PV at the Auckland Track Classic pic.twitter.com/ZfMpVtRfQm
— Costas Goulas (@lsabre) February 26, 2017
