Athletics: Eliza McCartney breaks personal best

Eliza McCartney continues her successful trajectory on the world pole vaulting stage. Photo: photosport.nz

Kiwi pole vault star Eliza McCartney is keeping athletics statisticians busy, after clearing yet another personal best of 4.94m at a pole vault meeting in Germany.

Surpassing her previous national mark of 4.92m, the 21-year-old's effort was recorded as the highest women's vault this year, beating American indoor world record holder Jenn Suhr's 4.93m set in April.

RECORD ALERT! Eliza McCartney sets another NZ rec with 4.94m in Jockgrim, Germany! Awesome work Eliza https://t.co/wi8JnC1xsV pic.twitter.com/jo2f4JvU2X

— Athletics NZ (@AthleticsNZ) July 17, 2018

Taking out the competition, McCartney set a new New Zealand national record, Oceania record, and Commonwealth record.

McCartney's winning height is also the highest outdoor vault in the world for 2018 and moves her to number three on the all-time list behind retired Russian Yelena Isinbayeva (5.06m) and American Sandi Morris (5.00m).

The record-breaking vault came on McCartney's third and final attempt, having earlier cleared 4.60 and 4.70 on first attempts, then 4.80 and 4.87 on second efforts. She went on to have one unsuccessful vault at 5.01 before retiring from the competition.

Fellow Kiwis Imogen Ayris and Olivia McTaggart failed to clear 4.15m.

McCartney now heads to Monaco for the next Diamond League meeting on Saturday morning.