Meanwhile, on an evening ideal for competing, the Cooks Classic also proved a venue ideal for up-and-coming pole-vaulting star Eliza McCartney, from the North Shore in Auckland.
The 16-year-old was part of a strong Bays Cougars team invited to the Cooks Classic and she broke the under-17 national pole-vault record when clearing 4.01 metres at her third and final attempt.
During the build-up to the record-breaking attempt, McCartney showed she was in form by easily clearing the lower bars.
When it came to the big one, though, McCartney hardly cleared the ground, appearing to misjudge her first two run-ups. But after a soul-searching talk to herself and a quiet word from her coach, McCartney flew down the course, digging in her pole and clearing the bar with inches to spare.
The look on her face said it all.
“That buzzed me out. I was so stoked to break a national record,” she said immediately after the event.
“I was actually concentrating on beating the 3.85m qualifying height for the world championships in the Ukraine in July. I was focused on that and felt that I was jumping well enough to have a go at the record.”
From: http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/news/smart-road-to-success/1729409/
