Eliza McCartney vaults into NZ team for world indoor athletics champs

Eliza McCartney has won selection for the world indoor athletics champs in Poland.
Photo: David Rowland/Photosport

Eliza McCartney’s impressive pole vault at the New Zealand athletics championships last weekend has won her a place at the world indoor champs in Poland.

McCartney was in a three-way battle with Imogen Ayris and Olivia McTaggart for the two women’s pole vault places in the New Zealand team for the champs later this month.

Ayris was the front-runner after she cleared 4.76 metres in finishing third at an indoor meet in France nearly three weeks ago, while McTaggart and McCartney had recently vaulted 4.70m, which was the automatic qualifying mark for Poland.

But McCartney soared 4.81m at the national champs at Auckland’s Trusts Arena last weekend to ensure selection with Ayris, while McTaggart is the unlucky non-travelling reserve in the New Zealand team named today for the worlds, which take place in Toruń from 20-22 March.

McCartney’s vault was just a fraction better than the 4.80m which secured her silver at the 2024 world indoor champs in Glasgow.

All nations were limited to two athletes per event in Poland.

A number of prominent athletes – Sam Ruthe, Sam Tanner, James Preston, Hamish Kerr, Maddi Wesche, Rosa Twyford and Jacko Gill – were eligible for selection but made themselves unavailable to focus on preparing for other international events.

But two other world indoor champs medallists will join McCartney in Poland – with Tom Walsh defending his men’s shot put crown, while last year’s 3000m steeplechase champion, Geordie Beamish, will run in the 3000m flat event.

Tom Walsh won gold at last year’s world indoor champs.
Photo: AFP

Sprint stars Zoe Hobbs and Tiaan Whelpton will run in the 60m events, after sealing qualification at the Sir Graeme Douglas International meet in Auckland last month. Hobbs finishing fourth in the world indoor champs in Glasgow in 2024 and sixth in Nanjing last year, while Whelpton matched his New Zealand resident record over 100m at the Douglas meet.

Middle distance athlete Alison Andrews Paul returns for her second world indoors in the women’s 800m, which will also be contested by debutant Boh Ritchie, while James Harding and Thomas Cowan will run in the men’s 800m.

Harding and Cowan have traded the New Zealand indoor record this season, with Harding holding the mark at 1:46.44, set in February in the United States.

National record holder Lex Revell Lewis and national indoor record holder Annalie Kalma run in the 400m events, while Tapenisa Havea will compete at world senior level for the first time in the women’s shot put. She finished fourth in the shot put and seventh in the discus at the 2022 world under-20 champs.

New Zealand team for 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Toruń, 20-22 March.

Men

Tom Walsh, shot put

Geordie Beamish, 3000m

Tiaan Whelpton, 60m

James Harding, 800m

Thomas Cowan, 800m

Lex Revell Lewis, 400m

Women

Zoe Hobbs 60m

Eliza McCartney, pole vault

Imogen Ayris, pole vault

Alison Andrews Paul, 800m

Boh Ritchie, 800m

Annalies Kalma, 400m

Tapenisa Havea, shot put

Reserve (Non travelling)

Olivia McTaggart, pole vault

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