10.07.2007

Third time's a charm for Hooker and Burgess in Lausanne

After alternating wins from their two starts, Australia's pole vaulting duo of Steve Hooker and Paul Burgess will be hoping their success continues tonight in the third leg of their European campaign at the Athletissima meet in Lausanne, Switzerland.

In addition, 1500m arch rivals from the Australian domestic season Sarah Jamieson and Lisa Corrigan will also hit the track at the IAAF Super Grand Prix meet.

It’s been a mixed bag for the West Australian vaulters this European season, with Burgess kicking off his campaign with a win in Mannheim (5.75m) two weeks ago though he didn’t clear a height in Athens on Monday night. It was the opposite case for Hooker, failing to make a mark in Germany but taking out victory in the Greek capital with 5.85m.

Six members of the prestigious six-metre club will feature in the men’s pole vault competition including Brad Walker, the 2006 World Indoor champion, whose 5.95m in Brisbane still sits atop of the season’s best table.

Add to the mix reigning Olympic silver medallist Toby Stevenson (USA), European Cup winner Tim Lobinger, USA record holder Jeff Hartwig, Japanese hope Daichi Sawano, Russian Igor Pavlov plus a number of Germans who have just completed a successful indoor season and you have a competition on your hands.

The meet record of 5.90m, held by four men including Hartwig (2001) could be in grave danger given the calibre of athletes vying for victory and bragging rights only 46 days out from the World Championships in Osaka.

Finishing fifth in Paris on Friday night in the 1500m, world No. 5 Sarah Jamieson continued her improvement as she builds towards the World Championships in August. Recording 4:03.71, she posted her fastest time of 2007 and will look to place in Lausanne tonight.

After being tripped in Athens last Monday and tiring on Friday night to finish 14th in 4:09.32, reigning Australian champion Lisa Corrigan has had a torrid introduction to her European season.

The 22-year-old will have an opportunity to redeem herself tonight but will face a highly-credentialed line up including Bahrain’s Maryam Yusuf Jamal, who won in Oslo, reigning world champion Tatyana Tomashova from Russia and Ukraine’s Iryna Lishchynska.

Other international stars in action at the Swiss meet include Jeremy Wariner (200m), Michelle Perry (100mH), Tyson Gay (200m), Liu Xiang (110mH) and Stefan Holm (high jump).

For further information and live results, please visit the Athletissima meet website or www.iaaf.org

Looking ahead, Jana Rawlinson (400mH), Kym Howe (pole vault), Robbie Crowther (long jump) and Tamsyn Lewis (800m) will compete in the Rome Golden League meet on Friday night.

And on Sunday at the British Grand Prix in Sheffield, Craig Mottram will take on the great Kenenisa Bekele in a much-anticipated 3000m showdown. A large Australian contingent will be on show including Hooker and Burgess (pole vault), Corrigan (800m), Scott Martin (shot put), Josh Ross (100m) and Mark Fountain, Collis Birmingham and Jeff Riseley (1500m).

Stay tuned to athletics.com.au for all of the latest news and  results from Australia and around the globe.

Listen to this week's podcast, featuring interviews with Steve Hooker and Kym Howe, here