Resurgent Kiwi pole vaulter Eliza McCartney has booked her ticket to the Paris Olympics.
At the Miting meet in Barcelona, McCartney cleared a NZ Olympic qualifying mark of 4.73m to clinch her spot at Paris 2024, setting a new meeting record.
Making the feat even more impressive was that the Rio 2016 bronze medallist achieved it with borrowed poles, after her own were delayed reaching Spain.
"Olympic Qual - 4.73m to automatically qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, done in my first comp within the qualification period and with my poles arriving after the competition started!" McCartney posted on Instagram.
"Also chucked in a sneaky meet record too. Thank you so much [Miting] for having me.
"I absolutely loved my first time in Spain and the conditions were perfect."
Last weekend, McCartney earned her first podium finish at a Diamond League event in five years, placing third with a best of 4.71m at Lausanne, Switzerland.
The Diamond League appearance was her first in over four years, after battling with a string of injuries.
Earlier this week, McCartney's former coach Jeremy McColl was banned from athletics for 10 years, after an independent investigation found he'd committed serious misconduct.
Among the misconduct were the improper treatment of athletes in the coaching environment, inappropriate comments to athletes in training sessions, findings of harassment and inappropriate communication with athletes, through social media and text messages.
