Pole vault star Eliza McCartney has achieved another important milestone in her competitive resurgence, clearing a world championship qualifying height at the Brisbane Track Classic.
The 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medallist has scaled 4.71m to book a ticket to Budapest later this year, rekindling her precocious talent that has been stifled by injury in recent years.
After scrambling over her opening height of 4.45m, McCartney, 26, soared over 4.65m to seal victory over training partner and rival Olivia McTaggart, then cleared required standard for world champs selection.
"I'm elated and relieved, and I’m quite exhausted too," she reflected. "I put a lot into that today.
"I'm finding my feet quite a bit this season and it is all about lots of practise jumping. At my opening height, I must have had 4-5 attempts, because I kept pulling out with dodgy winds and walking back on the runway, which it not how you want to do it.
"This week, in training, I’ve started doing a 14-step run-up, which is my favourite - that was my step-up when winning bronze in Rio and for my PB [4.94m in 2018].
"I think that extra speed meant I didn't have to work so hard, even though I'm on similar poles... I can just go for it."
After winning her first national title in six years last month, McCartney's Brisbane performance was her best since January 2019.
McTaggart has already achieved the world championship standard, but had to settle for 4.45m on this occasion.
Meanwhile, sprinter Eddie Osei-Nketia has bid farewell to athletics - for now - with an impressive 100 metres victory over Australian rival Rohan Browning, clocking 10.13s.
Osei-Nketia broke father Gus' national record with 10.08s at the world championships last year, but after missing out on Olympic and Commonwealth Games selection, he has decided to take up American football at the University of Hawaii.
"It's emotional now that I'm leaving the sport," he said. "It is heartbreaking... all the memories I've made and all the competitors I’ve competed against.
"It is sad, but all good things come to an end."
