Eliza McCartney
Roles: Speaker
Themes: Lifestyle & Wellbeing, Motivation, Sports
Eliza McCartney became a household name in New Zealand at just 19 years old when she won bronze in the women’s pole vault at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, becoming the youngest Olympic medallist in the event’s history and the first New Zealander to win an Olympic medal in pole vault.
She continued her success with a silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and later set a New Zealand and Oceania record of 4.94 metres — one of the highest jumps ever recorded in women’s pole vault.
Eliza’s journey has also included significant setbacks. Chronic Achilles injuries forced her away from competition and saw her miss the Tokyo Olympic Games, before she made a determined comeback to win silver at the 2024 World Indoor Championships and compete at the Paris Olympics.
Alongside her sporting career, Eliza completed a degree in Environmental Science and is an advocate for sustainability and athlete voice, serving on both Athletics New Zealand and New Zealand Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commissions.
On stage, Eliza shares insights from elite sport about resilience, managing pressure and navigating both success and adversity.
