5 Aug 2024

Olympics 2024: Athletes to watch on day 10 of the Paris Games

9:38 am on 5 August 2024
New Zealand's Eliza Mccartney competes in the Women's Pole Vault final during the Indoor World Athletics Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, on March 2, 2024. (Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP)

Eliza McCartney is one of New Zealand's top medal prospects. Photo: BEN STANSALL

Pole vault star Eliza McCartney steps up to the mat and speed climber Sarah Tetzlaff will race up the wall on the 10th day of the Paris Olympics.

Due to the time difference, day 10 begins on Monday evening and goes through until Tuesday morning.

Here's who to look out for. All times are in NZT.

Check out the full schedule for all the New Zealand athletes here.

Dylan McCullough, Nicole van der Kaay, Ainsley Thorpe and Hayden Wilde, mixed relay triathlon final, 6pm Monday

The mixed relay triathlon sees each athlete complete a mini-triathlon, with the traditional order of swim-bike-run, before handing off to the next competitor.

A male athlete goes first, followed by a female, then the second male, then the second female.

The New Zealand team is seen as having an outside chance of a medal here.

Training sessions for the swimming leg of the triathlon were cancelled due to poor water quality in the Seine, but organisers confirmed the final would go ahead as planned.

Eliza McCartney, pole vault qualification, 8.40pm Monday

After years of injury problems, 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Eliza McCartney has emerged as one of New Zealand's leading contenders for a medal.

She broke her own national record in February and has credited new coach Scott Simpson for her resurgence.

McCartney should fly through the qualification round.

Fellow New Zealanders Olivia McTaggart and Imogen Ayris will also be hoping to advance to the next stage of the competition.

Olympic speedclimber Sarah Tetzlaff

Speed climber Sarah Tetzlaff. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

Sarah Tetzlaff, women's sport climbing qualification seeding, 11pm Monday

Sarah Tetzlaff is New Zealand's first-ever representative in speed climbing, alongside Julian David.

She has gone from a virtual unknown to surging into contention in the sport, which sees climbers race to the top of a wall in mere seconds.

Tetzlaff says the repetition of speed climbing is the addictive element, as the wall never changes.

"You can get into this really nice flow state that you don't feel in the rest of your life, and it's just a feeling that you chase."

Qualification seeding is at 11pm, with elimination at 11.40pm.

Luuka Jones, women's kayak cross quarterfinal, 1.30am Tuesday

Luuka Jones is back in action in the water after cruising through her heat on Monday morning.

Kayak cross, also called 'boatercross', sees kayakers fight their way down the course, bumping each other out of the way as they go.

Jones, the reigning world champion in the sport, will contest the quarterfinal at 1.30am.

The semifinal is shortly afterward at 2.15am and the final is at 2.55am.

Fellow Kiwi Finn Butcher has also made it through to the quarterfinals which take place at 1.52am and the semi at 2.28am.

First-placed New Zealand's George Beamish celebrates as he crosses the finish line in the Men's 1500m final during the Indoor World Athletics Championships in Glasgow, 2024.

George Beamish holds a number of national records. Photo: AFP

George Beamish, men's 3000m steeplechase round one, 5.04am Tuesday

George Beamish holds a national record in the 3000m steeplechase, as well as national records for the 3000m and 5000m track.

He came fifth in the steeplechase at the World Athletics Championships in 2023 and claimed gold in the 1500m at the 2024 champs.

Beamish, who was raised in Hawke's Bay and is now based in the United States, is the first New Zealand steeplechase competitor at an Olympic Games in 40 years.

He's one to keep an eye on as the competition progresses. The final is on 7 August.

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