RNZ·4 min read·medium
How Eliza McCartney competes with a smile
✦AI Summary
New Zealand pole vaulter Eliza McCartney reflects on her gold medal win at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. After a decade of injury setbacks following her 2016 Olympic success, she credits her optimistic mindset for her recent performance.
Why it matters
Highlights the psychological resilience required for elite athletes to overcome long-term injury and return to peak performance.
Some sportspeople thrive on grit and anger. Gold-medal-winning pole vaulter Eliza McCartney performs best as her naturally optimistic self.
sportsculture
✦
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in