Eliza McCartney adjusting to overhaul on anti-doping measures ahead of World Championships

Kiwi pole vaulter Eliza McCartney's trying to get used to the extra anti-doping measures in London, ahead of the IAAF World Championships.

The 20-year-old's part of the 12-strong New Zealand team at the elite event, which start this weekend.

McCartney's one of the medal contenders after her bronze at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

But the Aucklander admits her sport's had its setbacks with drugs cheats - even last year.

"It's not a great place for our sport at the moment and there's been a lot of problems, everybody knows about the whole issue around the Olympics... so it's not a great place unfortunately.

"But there are definitely mechanisms in place - Clean Athletics is a new initiative," McCartney told Newshub.

"I've seen them (the testers) around the hotel a lot and I've only been here 24 hours. So there's a lot of presence of this idea of fighting the cheaters, and fighting people who are choosing to cheat."

"Hopefully that pressure will keep building up and the more people are aware of it, the better it will be."

McCartney's the first of the Kiwis in action in the women's pole vault qualifying on Saturday morning, with the final set down for Monday morning.

The men's shot put is set to be a showdown between Olympic gold medallist Ryan Crouser, fellow American Joe Kovacs - who won silver in Rio - and New Zealand's bronze medallist Tom Walsh.

The Timaru builder's been in great form since the Games, winning the Diamond League last year and an event just last month in the United States, where Walsh threw over the magic mark of 22 metres.

Also in London is rising Auckland shot-putter Jacko Gill, who made the Rio final - despite competing with a broken bone in his foot.

Gill's happy to play second fiddle to Walsh for now.

"I'd love to be there one day. He's done extremely well. There's a lot of guys (throwing) over 22 and we've gone 10 years in shot put where we haven't had anyone over 22, I think we've got three guys over 22 this year," Gill said.

"It's a really high standard, it's really good so yeah, if I can be at that level one day I'll be very, very happy."

Gill's goal is once again to just make the final at the old Olympic Stadium - where West Ham United now play their football.

Athletics has taken over the stadium again for a few weeks at least, with the old running track from 2012 uncovered again.

The men's shot put qualifying is on Saturday night, with the final also on Monday morning.

Newshub.