Bronze-winning pole vaulter Eliza McCartney is finally home after a deserved post-Rio holiday.
The 19-year-old Kiwi's meteoric rise stunned the athletics world, and 11 days on she's still sporting a smile as wide as her jump was high.
"I really enjoyed everything, even the qualifier," she told Paul Henry on Tuesday, only a few hours after landing.
She almost didn't make it to the final, failing her first two attempts at 4.45m. She nailed the third - just - but didn't let the scare get her down.
"I almost missed my third attempt at the opening height, and even then I was still just really enjoying it."
Photos of McCartney taken in Rio, even in mid-jump, prove she was.
Eliza McCartney lands a jump in Rio (Getty)
"It does bring a calmness to it all," she says. "If you're enjoying it and you're out there to better yourself... it helps."
McCartney, from Auckland, fell into pole vaulting through pure chance.
"I did lots of sports when I was younger, and it was just another sport that I tried. My friend started, and I just saw an opportunity to give it a go because I just thought it looked fun."
Soon after landing, McCartney visited her old school Belmont Intermediate (Adrien Taylor / Newshub.)
She was only 14 when she started working with coach Jeremy McColl, who set about getting her the gear she needed - buying a lot of it himself and crowdfunding for the rest.
He says McCartney has inspired a new generation of vaulters, and they're getting inundated with calls from people wanting to learn - but he can't buy equipment for them all, and says they'll need sponsors if everyone's going to get a fair go.
(Adrien Taylor / Newshub.)
"Athletics NZ only has so much money and there are so many events to cater for," he says.
McCartney is now competing full-time, fitting in studies when she gets the time. She's aware athletes have a limited shelf-life.
"Even if it is for the next 15 years, that's only a small chunk [of life]."
Her next goal is to do well at the Diamond League, in preparation for the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London.
(Adrien Taylor / Newshub.)
Newshub.
