¶'09 WC mPV: Steve Hooker (Australia) 19-4¼ (5.90)

[bhall]

THE FORMCHART
1. Steve Hooker (Australia) .................6.06...19-10½ (’09)
2. Renaud Lavillenie (France) .............6.01 .....19-8½ (’09)
3. Brad Walker (USA) ............................6.04 .....19-9¾ (’08)
4. Igor Pavlov (Russia) .........................5.90 .....19-4¼ (’05)
5. Maksym Mazuryk (Ukraine) ............5.82 .....19-1 (’08)
6. Derek Miles (USA) ............................5.85 .....19-2¼ (’05)
7. Romain Mesnil (France) ..................5.95 .....19-6¼ (’03)
8. Danny Ecker (Germany) ..................6.00 .....19-8¼ (’01)
9. Alexander Straub (Germany) ..........5.81 .....19-¾ (’08)
10. Malte Mohr (Germany) ...................5.80 .....19-¼ (’09)

[Marlow]

I see a total crap shoot here. Any of several could upset Hooker and the winning height could be anywhere from 5.80 to 6.05!

[polevaultpower]

Hooker suffered a grade one (the least severe) tear to his adductor in training on Monday. He's not sure if he'll be ready in time for qualifying.

http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/vie ... 31&t=18372

[polevaultpower]

Hooker and Walker are both questionable due to recent injuries. If you're playing fantasy track, Lavillenie is your safest bet!

However, anything could happen! Hooker and Walker could still pull out a big jump, and Lavillenie is beatable. Mesnil has beaten him twice this year.

[Marlow]

Hooker suffered a grade one (the least severe) tear to his adductor in training on Monday

I know it's not part of the hammy, but I guess that still means he can't run at full speed?

[polevaultpower]

Hooker suffered a grade one (the least severe) tear to his adductor in training on Monday

I know it's not part of the hammy, but I guess that still means he can't run at full speed?

I guess not. If you read the articles on my site, he didn't think it was that bad at first, but it hurt worse the next day and they got an MRI which revealed the tear.

It's normally a one month recovery, but Hooker is sort of super human, so maybe he can pull it off in time! Good thing the men go last!

[AS]

More on Hooker injury:

http://www.athletics.com.au/news/news/2 ... ntitled_69

"The injury took place ten days before qualifying so I guess at this point I am a 50/50 (percent chance) at best of competing. We are going to do whatever we can to treat it aggressively and get me in as good of a position as we can before the qualifying round."

It is worrying, but then I guess we can take some solace in this angle:

Hooker can draw some encouragement about his ability to achieve quality results from disrupted preparations from his European and Australian season earlier this year. He suffered a knee injury, restricting his training abilities, yet produced an impressive campaign that included four six-meter jumps and a new personal best of 6.06m.

And another interview:

http://www.runnerstribe.com/worldchamps ... icles4.php

[cacique]

my money is on lavillenie.

[polevaultpower]

Hooker's handlers now saying 70% chance he'll compete.

[Jnathletics]

Hooker's handlers ....

:lol: :lol: :lol:

The WC's haven't even started and I've already gone slap happy. :wink:

[AS]

Hooker's handlers now saying 70% chance he'll compete.

A.k.a. Pimps??

Or perhaps "Love Brokers" (gratuitous Night Shift (1982) reference)

[polevaultpower]

Hooker himself says 60% chance: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/ ... 88,00.html

[Marlow]

The problem with the PV, as opposed to every other event, is you can't half-ass it and even get up to the bar. Getting on a pole that will fling you 19' in the air requires hitting on all cylinders at max RPM. If the injury is just 'pain', he could still win, but if it actually inhibits his runway speed or take-off, he's screwed.

[polevaultpower]

The problem with the PV, as opposed to every other event, is you can't half-ass it and even get up to the bar. Getting on a pole that will fling you 19' in the air requires hitting on all cylinders at max RPM. If the injury is just 'pain', he could still win, but if it actually inhibits his runway speed or take-off, he's screwed.

I bet he could get drugged (legally) up enough that the pain isn't so much of a problem, it sounds like he is more worried that he'll tear it worse and set himself up for a career of pain. He does have an MRI confirmation of a tear.

[AS]

Hooker again:

Yesterday, he said he gave himself at least a 60 per cent chance of competing, less than the 70 per cent figure suggested by head coach Eric Hollingsworth two days ago. ''I think he is being optimistic with that,'' he said.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/hoo ... 29947.html