A golden week has ended in disappointment for Kiwi pole vaulter Eliza McCartney, who finished seventh at the latest Diamond League meet in Monaco on Saturday (NZ time).
On Wednesday, the 21-year-old McCartney broke her own national record in Jockgrim, Germany with a clearance of 4.94m, but she couldn't repeat those efforts in Monaco as she failed to leap above 4.8m.
McCartney comfortably cleared 4.6m and 4.75m, but couldn't clear the next height despite three attempts.
Anzhelika Sidorova of Russia won the event with a jump of 4.85m, beating out Yarisley Silva of Cuba and Ekaterini Stefanidi of Greece, who finished second and third.
On Friday, Kiwi shot putters Tom Walsh and Valerie Adams also struggled with fifth and fourth-placed finishes respectively.
Despite the seventh-place finish, McCartney is focusing on the positives after she cleared 4.94m, the highest mark of 2018 for any women's pole vaulter, earlier in the week.
It puts her atop the world rankings for the year, edging American Jenny Suhr's 4.93m in April.
Her successful jump of 4.94m in Germany is the fourth highest of all-time behind Russian Yelena Isinbayeva (5.06m), and Americans Jennifer Suhr (5.03m) and Sandi Morris (5.00m).
Newshub.
