Melbourne - Hooker 5.80, Lukyanenko 5.65

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Weather deters sub-10 in Melbourne; Hooker outstanding again – IAAF World Athletics Tour

Steve Hooker beats the rain in Melbourne (Getty Images)
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Melbourne, Australia - In bleak cold and windy weather the World Athletics Tour of 2009 resumed at the World Athletics Tour Melbourne tonight (5) with former World record holder Asafa Powell understandably unable to break 10 seconds in his opening 100m of the year.

The World Athletics Tour Melbourne, a Grand Prix status meeting which is part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour.

It was left to four lesser-known Australians to step up and join Olympic Pole Vault champion Steve Hooker in grabbing Berlin World Championships A-qualifying marks of the meet. In fact the only visiting competitor to notch one of the rare A-qualifiers was the peerless New Zealand shot put queen Valerie Vili (19.36m).

It’s more about getting a bit of rhythm happening – Hooker, 5.80m

Hooker was outstanding, clearing 5.80m at his third attempt to secure his eighth consecutive win dating back to Beijing. He bowed out attempting 6m in front an enthusiastic home crowd and seemed slightly disappointed.

“I was really hoping I’d be able to jump six metres jumping in front of my family and supporters,” Hooker said. “I’m just going out there and enjoying jumping – just trying to jump technically well; I’m not really going out there thinking about results too much. It’s more about getting a bit of rhythm happening.”

Russia’s Olympic silver medallist Yevgeniy Lukyanenko (5.60m) was again second to Hooker, while Perth’s Paul Burgess, a 6m performer in 2006, placed third tonight with 5.45m.