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Hooker's hero joins stellar pole vault ensemble
Olympic pole vault champion Steve Hooker will compete alongside one of his childhood heroes, 2004 Olympic champion Tim Mack, in Australia over the next two weeks, the American adding to a sensational list of high fliers.
An inspiration and great source of advice, it was Mack’s Olympic record that Steve Hooker broke with that magical clearance of 5.96m at the climax of the Olympic Games in Beijing.
With a personal best of 6.01m, Mack is one of only 16 athletes in history to have cleared the six metre mark in the pole vault.
Eight of the 16 have now retired, whilst four of the remaining eight will compete at the Sydney Track Classic on Saturday, 28 February and World Athletics Tour Melbourne on Thursday, 5 March.
Crowds in Sydney and Melbourne will have to raise their stare six metres in the air to witness Hooker, Mack, Australia’s Paul Burgess and Russian Olympic silver medallist Yevgeniy Lukyanenko in action, and throw into the mix Mexico’s Giovanni Lavaro, who has a quality personal best of 5.82m, and you have a world-class battle on your hands.
Once again Athletics Australia’s international meets will have the benefit of several great African distance runners in Sydney and Melbourne.
Headlining the list is Kenya-born, now Bahrainian Youssef Saad Kamel, who finished fifth in the 800m final in Beijing.
A tall, distinctive runner whose Masai pedigree is undeniable, Kamel hails from a great athletic family - his father was dual world champion Billy Konchellah and his uncle Patrick Konchellah won the Commonwealth Games 800m final in Victoria, Canada.
Kamel recorded one of the fastest times ever last year, when he covered the two laps in 1.42.79. He is also a very fine 1500m runner boasting a best time of 3.32.83. The 27-year-old will compete in the 1500m in Sydney and 800m in Melbourne.
Also heading to Australia is Kenyan Gideon Gathimba who was ranked No. 10 in the world last year over 1500m. With a best time of 3:33.63, he will provide strong competition in Sydney and Melbourne.
Both the Sydney Track Classic and World Athletics Tour Melbourne will be broadcast around Australia on Network Ten. Any Australian athlete who breaks an Australian record will receive a $10,000 bonus as part of the $310,000 prize money on offer this summer.
Sydney Track Classic – Sydney Olympic Park – Saturday 28 February 2009
World Athletics Tour - Olympic Park Melbourne – Thursday 5 March 2009
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