E92 | Eliza McCartney

Episode summary | Eliza McCartney

Eliza McCartney is one of the very best pole vaulters in the world. In fact, she is one of the best pole vaulters ever, agonisingly close to the magical 5m mark with her personal best in 2018.

She burst onto the scene as a 19-year-old, taking home bronze from the Rio Olympics, and rose to fame back in New Zealand with her infectious smile and bubbly personality. She later won silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and smashed indoor and outdoor Oceania records as she built towards the Tokyo Olympics.

But her career has stalled over the last four years with an unfortunate run of injuries, leading to an inspiring rebuild of her movement patterns that will hopefully see her return to her best form. She is also a passionate advocate for social and environmental change and her commercial partnerships and actions reflect these beliefs.

In a career of highs and lows, Eliza generously opens up about the mental and physical struggle of dealing with the setbacks she has faced over her career and the successes.

Show notes | Eliza McCartney

1:43 Steven’s pole vault research comes to the fore off the back of the Commonwealth Games

4:20 Growing up with Lorde and Eliza’s childhood sporting background

6:26 Seamus navigates watching Eliza at training and Steven’s Rio recollection

8:59 Eliza the comedian

13:01 Some thoughts on Chelsea Lane and that time she lead Eliza astray in Vancouver

18:44 From North Island Champs to World Juniors: The rapid rise to success in pole vault

27:24 The “block” before qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics

33:30 Expectations and on the day preparations

37:08 Day two of Rio and claiming the bronze medal

47:03 The medal ceremony and blowing up on social media like Pita Taufatofua

50:16 A cheeseburger challenge interlude with Seamus and Roland Jeffrey

51:21 Reflection on the bronze medal success and the whirlwind on Eliza’s eventual return to New Zealand

57:38 Post Rio Olympics: personal bests including the fifth best vault of all-time!

1:01:18 Highs and lows: charting the injury story

1:10:45 Navigating the challenge of having to share your battles publicly with friends and family

1:15:17 How close to retirement did Eliza get?

1:18:15 The rebuild of Eliza McCartney

1:26:03 Advice for young athletes

1:27:35 The social change campaigner and environmentalist with a deep appreciation for Te Ao Maori

1:35:24 The Italian Job: on the kite foil Olympic campaign trail with Lukas Walton-Keim

1:37:50 Influencing a generation of kiwi female pole vaulters

1:39:00 Last words from Steven, Seamus and Eliza