Olivia McTaggart (L), Imogen Ayris (C) and Eliza McCartney.
Photo: Simon Stacpoole / www.photosport.nz
New Zealand pole vaulters Imogen Ayris, Eliza McCartney, and Olivia McTaggart have qualified for the women’s final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo by clearing 4.60m.
Ayris had a clean scorecard, passing all three heights on the first attempt.
Fellow New Zealander McCartney also qualified for the final after clearing 4.60m on her first attempt. She needed a second attempt to clear the second height of 4.45m.
McTaggart just scraped in after clearing 4.60m on her third and final attempt after a 40 minute delay when she got caught on the wrong end of technical delays.
McTaggart rallied to deliver a third attempt clearance at 4.60m to complete the trio of Kiwis in the pole vault finals.
Great Britain pole vaulter Molly Caudery, a serious medal contender, was a DNS (did not start) after sustaining an ankle injury in the warm-up ahead of qualifying.
Fourteen have qualified for the final on Wednesday night.