Congratulations to our student Olympians

Mon Aug 22 2016 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Congratulations to our student Olympians

22 August 2016

Eliza McCartney prepares for take-off (World Juniors final in 2014).

University of Auckland student Eliza McCartney has pole vaulted her way into the hearts and minds of many New Zealanders after winning Bronze at the Rio Olympics.

She was one of seven University of Auckland students who represented New Zealand at the Olympics, combining their rigorous training schedules with their University studies. We congratulate them all – they have done their families, coaches and supporters proud.

Eliza (19) became New Zealand’s youngest female medallist at an Olympic Games when she gave a thrilling performance at Rio, winning New Zealand’s first ever medal in the pole vault. Her technical ability is without question, but it was her poise, demeanour and infectious enthusiasm that really endeared her to the crowds cheering her on as she soared over the bar at 4.80 metres.

Also giving an outstanding performance, Commerce student Dylan Schmidt (19) came in seventh in the trampoline, achieving his goal of coming in the top eight at the games and edging closer to his dream to “aim for the podium” at his next Olympics

In team sports, Theresa Fitzpatrick took time off from her medical studies to compete in the rugby sevens in Rio as a member of the women’s team that won silver at the Olympics and Sione Molia, who is finishing off an applied maths degree, was part of the men’s sevens that came in fifth at the games.

Black Sticks team members Pippa Hayward (Law/Arts) and Stacey Michelsen (Law/Business) achieved fourth place in women’s hockey and Football Fern vice-captain Katie Duncan (Education and Social Work), was exited at the preliminaries as a member of the national women’s team.