Grammy Award-winning pop star Lorde has joined the nation's celebrations of teen Eliza McCartney's Olympic pole vaulting heroics.
The 19-year-olds were old primary school mates and also used to play in the same age-grade netball team on Auckland's North Shore.
Lorde took to Twitter to join the thousands of Kiwis congratulating McCartney - whose bronze medal took New Zealand's medal tally at the Rio Games to 16 - tweeting: "AHHHHHH CRUSHED IT ELIZA!"
In the lead-up to McCartney's medal-winning effort in today women's pole vault final, Lorde's mother, Sonja Yelich, posted a picture of the athlete on her Instagram account: "This is Eliza McCartney - just the nicest person ever - and a finalist in today's pole vault in Rio.
"When they were kids at Vauxhall School in Devonport, Ella & Eliza were in the same netball team. And now look!
"NZ wishes you all the luck in the world, Eliza. Go get it."