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. Photo / Getty Images
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."
'This is the first time this has happened to me since I changed my gender marker.'