Hooker goes over 6m, but then doesn't

[AS]

Steve Hooker had a very credible win in the PV in Berlin, but interestingly his PR clearnace of 5.96 was not the height he'd requested:

"After 5.91m, the three of us still in the competition went to the judges and told them we wanted to go to 6.01m. They even put the marks in the boxes on the score sheet to show we had all passed 5.96m."

"When I cleared the bar I was ecstatic - sure I had won and not only had I collected a PB, but over 6 metres for the first time. I went over to Alex (coach Alex Parnov) celebrated and decided with him that I would go to 6.05 next. It was only then I looked around and noticed that the scoreboard was showing Paul having his second attempt at 5.96m."

""I didn't know what to think. I still knew I was in front and in a great position to win, but instantly I wasn't the six metre jumper I thought I had just become."

"It was all a bit odd after that. They cancelled Paul's and Brad's attempts at 5.96m and we all attempted 6.01m - unsuccessfully."

With 5.96m confirmed, his two main opponents throughout this season – training partner and countryman Paul Burgess and American Brad Walker, along with Hooker, embarked on what proved to be a fruitless effort to clear 6.01m. Burgess finishing second on a count back for an Australian 1-2 finish after clearing 5.91m. Walker, with a best clearance of 5.71m settled for 5th behind German Danny Ecker’s best of 5.81m."

More at http://www.athletics.org.au/news/det...?ObjectID=2986

[Cooter Brown]

Re: Hooker goes over 6m, but then doesn't

I went over to Alex (coach Alex Parnov) celebrated and decided with him that I would go to 6.05 next.

Interesting choice to want to tie your NR instead of breaking it with 6.06m.

[AS]

It does seem an odd choice:

Looking at major Euro meets and Champs results of last few years, this is a standout performance by Hooker:

Only higher performances in "big meets" since 2000 are:
6.05 Dmitriy Markov Edmonton WC 2001
6.01 Tim Mack Monaco GP 2004

Other higher performances in this period tend to be at much smaller meets:
6.03 Jeff Hartwig Jonesboro 14.06.2000
6.02i Jeff Hartwig Sindelfingen 10.03.2002
6.01i Jeff Hartwig Bad Oeynhausen 08.03.2002
6.00i Danny Ecker Dortmund 11.02.2001
6.00i Jeff Hartwig Donyetsk 24.02.2002
6.00 Toby Stevenson Modesto 08.05.2004
6.00 Paul Burgess Perth 26.02.2005
6.00 Brad Walker Jockgrim 19.07.2006
5.96 Brad Walker Rieti 28.08.2005
5.96i Danny Ecker Chemnitz 09.02.2001
5.96i Lawrence Johnson Atlanta 03.03.2001
Courtesy of http://www.alltime-athletics.com/mpoleok.htm

Let's see if he can pull out another big one or two at WAF & WCup... enough to secure No.1 ranking?

[Grazerism]

Thanks for this! I was there, but couldn't figure out what was going on. The stadium announcer of course didn't explain anything. All I saw was Walker arguing with officials, and Burgess missing twice at 5.96 and then getting three tries at 6.01.

Hooker's clearances at 5.91 and 5.96 were HUGE. Unfortunately it started raining right after the latter clearance. Toby Stevenson was especially helpful, holding an umbrella over Burgess as Burgess prepared to jump. But 6.01 was not to be.

Hooker looks formidable. And to be in this kind of shape now after winning the Commonwealth back in March!

[gh]

.....Let's see if he can pull out another big one or two at WAF & WCup... enough to secure No.1 ranking?

He doesn't need big jumps; like everybody else he needs big wins. I believe that at this point you'll find Hooker and Walker are tied at 2-2 on the year. And Walker has the World Indoor title, and a bit more exposure, I think, to top-level competition. WAF could indeed decide it all.

World Cup probably has nothing to do with it because Walker (who was only 3rd at USATF) isn't likely to be there. That meet, in and of itself, probably doesn't provide much of a credential in the T&FN scheme of things, so Hooker gains little there unless he's beating other major contenders head to head.

[polevaultpower]

Here is what I have this season from Hooker and Walker (which is definitely not complete, this is just compiled from stuff posted on my message board).

Berlin
1. Hooker 5.96 PR
4t. Walker 5.71

Rieti
1. Walker 5.87
2. Hooker 5.82

Zurich
1. Walker 5.85
2. Hooker 5.85

Helsinki
1. Hooker 5.83

Eugene
2. Walker 5.70

Liege
5. Hooker 5.66

Heusden-Zolder
1. Hooker 5.76

Jockgrim
1. Walker 6.00

Rome
2. Hooker 5.77
3. Walker 5.72

Israel
1. Walker 5.90

USATF
3t. Walker 5.60

Gateshead
1. Walker 5.85

Nebiolo
1. Walker 5.70

Mexico
1t. Walker 5.63

Modesto
4. Walker 5.50

WIC
1. Walker 5.80

Commonwealth Games
1. Hooker 5.80

CG Selection
2. Hooker 5.75

Tyson
2. Walker 5.60

Millrose
2. Walker 5.68

Box Hill
?. Hooker 5.80 (not sure if he or Burgess won)


I know it was an off year in the mPV at WIC, but I would consider Walker's win at WIC worth a little bit more than Hooker winning CG, and while both have had personal bests this year, Walker beat Hooker to the 6 meter club.

[AS]

GH, I didn't think indoor performances counted in the rankings. Doesn't the mag do indoor merit rankings also? (sorry, haven't seen too many hardcopy editions of the mag in recent years as it seems to have disappeared off Australian shelves).

PVP, you missed Hooker's 5.91on March 4, also at Box Hill (a suburban track in Melbourne). I can't remember Burgess being here for that or the 5.80 performance.

My reading of the latest IAAF rankings is that a win by Hooker at the WAF, coupled with a poor performance by Walker, might see Hooker leap into 1st place...

[26mi235]

I thought that the PV was one of the events where the indoors can be taken into consideration, since the WR can be set either indoors or outdoors. Outdoors has wind to deal with, but that usually means a tailwind so that it is probably advantageous. In addition, while not common, there are occasions when the PV is held indoors during an outdoor meet (Becca can recount these factors much better than I, as can gh, of course).

[AS]

Hooker and Burgess are seeking to become only the 3rd Aussies to win an event at a WAF:

http://www.athletics.org.au/news/details.cfm?ObjectID=2990

[polevaultpower]

In addition, while not common, there are occasions when the PV is held indoors during an outdoor meet (Becca can recount these factors much better than I, as can gh, of course).

Drake Relays elite competition this year, for example.

[polevaultpower]

Outdoors has wind to deal with, but that usually means a tailwind so that it is probably advantageous.

Usually? hahahaha.

Only in Texas.

[gh]

Not sure if it's a trend, or just a coincidence, but it seems in last few years I've seen significantly more vaults screwed up by the wind because of stadium layouts which have the vault perpendicular to the sprint runway, meaning that crosswinds come into play.

Of course, that could be largely because of Sacramento, Carson, Indianapolis and Helsinki all being that way, and all those major meets have had significant problems with crosswinds.

[dukehjsteve]

Not sure if it's a trend, or just a coincidence, but it seems in last few years I've seen significantly more vaults screwed up by the wind because of stadium layouts which have the vault perpendicular to the sprint runway, meaning that crosswinds come into play.

Of course, that could be largely because of Sacramento, Carson, Indianapolis and Helsinki all being that way, and all those major meets have had significant problems with crosswinds.

Absolutely true in Indy. Our Indy weather and winds are 90 % of the time from the W, so the main straight gets the wind at its back as the straight goes from W to E.

[AS]

Interview with Hooker and Burgess:

http://www.athletics.org.au/news/details.cfm?ObjectID=2995