High Performance With

ELIZA MCCARTNEY

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I was lucky enough to watch Eliza McCartney compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics. After she got back, we caught up to discuss her approach to goal setting and high performance.

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Dragging Eliza & family through the 32 degree heat to the Olympic Rings for a selfie!

I wanted to give you a practical guide to how she approaches her goals and how she structures her training and preparation. The idea is that this can help you to achieve your own goals, whatever they may be.

First though, let's give you a little bit of background on Eliza.

Eliza McCartney's Medal Cabinet

Here's a snapshot of achievements of New Zealand's pole vault champion. All of this and she is only 27!

Medal Collection

Pole Vault (PB 4.94m)

5Gold
3Silver
2Bronze
2016 Olympic Games
2024 World Indoor Championships
2018 Commonwealth Games
5 x National Champion
2 x Halberg Award Winner

To put Eliza's personal best jump of 4.94m into perspective...

In the history of pole vault, only 4 women have ever jumped higher than she has!

Women's Pole Vault All-Time Best

1

Yelena Isinbayeva

RUS

5.06m

28.08.2009

2

Anzhelika Sidorova

RUS

5.01m

09.09.2021

3

Sandi Morris

USA

5.00m

09.09.2016

4

Katie Moon

USA

4.95m

26.06.2021

5

Eliza McCartney

NZL

4.94m

17.07.2018

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Eliza won her first Olympic medal when she was 19.

McCartney's 4.80 m vault that won her the Olympic bronze medal was voted New Zealand's Favourite Sporting Moment at the Halberg Awards for 2016

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Snapshots I took from the Nosebleeds at the Stade De France. Eliza Clearing 4.60m

The 2024 Paris

OLYMPICS!

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Eliza got Sixth Place at Paris!

What a joy it was to see Eliza McCartney back where she belongs! She was out there and doing our whole country proud.

She's has had a tough time with injuries and setbacks, but she's always come back stronger and more determined.

It's one thing setting goals, it's another overcoming adversity and challenges and doing that with a positive attitude.

The Building Blocks of High Performance

Discover how Eliza breaks down her approach to achieving peak performance in pole vaulting.

What We Will Cover

🏅

Key Components

High Performance

Part One

Q: How do you approach goal setting?

I approach goal setting very formally. I have a systematic step by step approach to breaking down the key elements.

Davis Jones

Eliza's Approach

Pole Vault has a number of things going on. You have to run fast, you have to be strong, you have to be powerful, you have to be technically sound and you have to be mentally strong. It's not enough to say, I want to be a better pole vaulter. You need to be specific!

Eliza breaks down her goals into the following categories:

  • Performance
  • Technical
  • Physical Bio Motor
  • Physical Robustness
  • Behavioural In Competition
  • Behavioural Out of Competition

Each category has up to three goals, which have been pulled from a priority list that covers even more things that are needed for pole vault. They are then assigned a lead person and a timescale.

Eliza McCartney on the track

If you want to go into further detail on this, we have created a clear and detailed step by step guide.

I have a formal, structured approach to goal setting

Eliza McCartney
Two children sitting together

High Performance

Part Two

Q: Given all the different categories, how do you prioritise your goals?

I like to break things down, depending on where I am at in a cycle and what my goals are.

Davis Jones

The most important part is reviewing at 6 months (after the indoor/domestic season) then 12 months (after the outdoor season). That review forms the basis for the next year of goal setting.

Breaking down Goals

Here's how I break it down:

Step 1

Step 1

"Did I achieve what I wanted? If I implemented something, do I want to continue with that? Do we want to keep that going forward? "

Review Each Item
Step 2

Step 2

"Work through each of your items and ask if this one thing will help you get towards your bigger goal. We are trying to reduce to 3 or 4 key things."

Is this a Priority?
Step 3

Step 3

"Getting clear on what success looks like for each of those things. This helps in a sport with a lot of variables and things outside of your control "

Determine What Success Is

After I have done this, I set timeframes and set who is responsible.

Davis Jones

Paris 2024 Focus Areas

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Completion Rate

Increase consistency in training and competition performance.

YEAR
2024
PRIORITY
01/03
FOCUS AREAS FOR PARIS 2024
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Health Management

Maintain peak physical condition and prevent injuries.

YEAR
2024
PRIORITY
02/03
FOCUS AREAS FOR PARIS 2024
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Mental Resilience

Develop strong mental skills for high-pressure situations.

YEAR
2024
PRIORITY
03/03
FOCUS AREAS FOR PARIS 2024

To recap on the process

  • Start with big list of pole vault needs
  • Analyse how I am doing in each
  • Determine the priorities
  • Turn those into goals
  • Assign a lead
  • Set a timescale
  • Review
  • Repeat

Breaking goals down like this helps you to focus on things that you can control.

Davis Jones

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The Stade De France was so loud!!

High Performance

Part Three

Q: How do you maintain focus in key moments?

I often have a lot of nervous energy, and in those heightened states of adrenaline, I focus all my attention on what I need to do. My mind keeps running through the cues over and over

Davis Jones

Those cues are the things that she needs to do to execute a successful jump. Eliza uses a mental counting trick to focus her mind, even when she has a high heart rate. The counting refers to the rhythm of her 14 step run.

My run up rhythm is 4,4,6 and so I will count in my head, ‘1234’, '1234', '123456' to keep myself grounded.

Davis Jones

Another cue might be 'foot under and move hands'. This helps to keep my mind and energy focused on the task at hand, not getting distracted by the adrenaline and pressure and stress.

I like to tap into my own world where I'm just worried about my jumping and nothing else. Distractions can be useful at the right time, but I do avoid paying too much attention to the actual comp, because I find that a bad distraction brings my attention to the outcome rather than the process.

Q: How do you prepare for an event?

I’ve gained enough experience to know that I just need to tap into my own routine, my own thoughts, and my own feelings—without getting distracted by everything going on around me.

Davis Jones

Eliza McCartney's Pre-Competition Routine

Key points on how the Kiwi Olympian prepares for major pole vaulting events

Stick to Normal Routine

Eliza maintains her usual routine to stay grounded and focused. This consistency helps manage pre-competition nerves.

Activation Exercises

She performs about an hour of specific exercises the day before to feel strong, mobile, and ready to use her body effectively.

Visualisation

Eliza focuses on visualising her desired performance, helping to mentally prepare for the competition. This will be done on the days before a competition and not on the actual day.

Sleep Routine

She has an early night and listens to audiobooks (like Harry Potter) to prevent her mind from racing and ensure quality rest.

Speaking of sleep routine. Olympic athletes need as much sleep as they can get. Eliza aims for 10 hours a night.

Eliza McCartney's Sleep Routine

How the Kiwi Olympian optimises her sleep for peak performance

Consistent Sleep Schedule

Eliza aims to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends, to maintain her body's natural rhythm. She aims for 9 and a half to 10 hours a night!!

Evening Wind-Down

She watches TV until about 8:45 PM, then begins her bedtime routine to prepare for sleep.

Reading Before Bed

Eliza aims to be in bed by 9:00 PM and reads until about 9:30-9:45 PM to help her relax.

Audiobook for Sleep

After reading, she turns on an audiobook (often Harry Potter) to prevent her mind from racing and help her fall asleep quickly.

Sleep Hygiene

Eliza practices good sleep hygiene, including using blue light blockers and maintaining a consistent routine to optimise her sleep quality.

Bonus Questions

Part Four

Q: Do you listen to any podcasts?

Yes! I listen to a lot but one that I love is Outrage and Optimism

Davis Jones

Q: Any books that helped you with high performance?

Early on in my career it was Unleashing Greatness by David Galbraith

Davis Jones

Q: What about fiction?

Trust by Hernand Diaz
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Q: How the heck do you get into pole vaulting?

You start by learning to hold, carry, and plant the pole into the box. At first, you'll be on a pole that doesn't bend with a low grip and you will learn how to take a couple of steps as you do a simple take off onto the mats."

As you progress, you will learn to swing, then you will move onto a small pole that bends, move further back on the runway, and slowly increase your grip height as you learn the technique in the air.

It's all progressive; you're never just given a huge pole and told to run 40 meters. Everything builds up step by step, as your competency grows.

My mum learnt to pole vault in her 50s!

Davis Jones

We have created a clear and detailed step by step guide.

The End

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