New Zealand Pole Vaulter Eliza McCartney. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
New Zealand pole-vaulter Eliza McCartney is about to return to the Olympic arena, eight years after she last competed.
McCartneystormed onto the world stage aged 19 with a bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Since then her career has been blighted with injuries which meant she was unable at the compete at the Tokyo Games.
She remains cautious about injuries which has meant she has had limited competition in the build-up to Paris.
McCartney told RNZ she would have liked to have had more competition, but she hasn't let it bother her.
"I have very little choice these days which is fine because it means that I do get to compete and train, but just not in the way I use to.
"It can be hard when I see everyone else competing every weekend, but I've been rewarded this year by being patient and doing what we know works for me."
McCartney has been working closely with new lead pole-vault coach for Athletics New Zealand, Scott Simpson for the last nine months.
New Zealand's Eliza McCartney competing at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, Glasgow. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"We know the best approach for me, I just have to keep following that and I know it will work.
There was a four-year period from 2018 to 2022 when the Auckland athlete was hit with injury after injury and many wondered if she would ever return to the runway.
But she is back and this year managed 4.84m in France and won silver at the World Indoor Championships.
She continues to have a few achilles tendon niggles and has taken a conservative approach in her build-up to the Paris Olympics.
"My coach comes with a wealth of knowledge when it comes to pole-vault specific achilles injuries.
"I don't take anything for granted and real gratitude for what I get to do for a job, nothing is guaranteed and expect anything."
Nothing was expected of McCartney when she competed and won a bronze medal in Rio in 2016 and she admits she takes a similar attitude into Paris.
"I want to have the same feelings but it's for different reasons.
"The less expectation I have and the more enjoyment I have for just doing what I love, the better my performance is."
McCartney along with Olivia McTaggart and Imogen Ayris start the pole-vault competition on 5 August.
