Athletics: Eliza McCartney breaks national record

Eliza McCartney celebrates after breaking the national record on the North Shore. Photo / photosport.nz

Pole vault queen Eliza McCartney broke her own national record, and set a new personal best height at the Auckland Track Challenge on the North Shore today.

McCartney was delighted when she cleared 4.82 metres, eclipsing her own PB by 2cm, just enough to snaffle the Oceania record of 4.81m held by Australian Alana Boyd into the bargain.

She had a crack at 4.90m but failed with all three attempts.

As it happened, her 4.82m leap would have gone close to nailing 4.90m.

''I'm super happy to get that, not only because it was a PB but also a massive PB for the runup I was on (12 strides), I'm pretty sure it's a world lead this year and the Oceania record," she said.

McCartney, who missed her first attempt at 4.55m and her first at 4.82m before clearing it on her second leap, said she'd felt good from the time she warmed up today.

''My runup moved back a lot, more than ever before so I was really fast today.

''I would have been able to give a much better crack at 4.90m if I hadn't had all the emotion and competition beforehand.

''My legs were like jelly so it was quite hard to control the runup and take off."

McCartney will compete in the Auckland and national championships in the coming weeks but a decision on whether to contest the Australian nationals is yet to be made.