Burgess leaps into the unknown after injury

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx? ... tID=131356

Burgess leaps into the unknown after injury
20th March 2009, 10:45 WST
Pole vault champion Paul Burgess’ future is in doubt after withdrawing from this week’s Australian championships in Brisbane.
With WAIS training partner Steve Hooker also injured, the event has been robbed of two of its biggest drawcards.

Eric Hollingsworth, Australia’s new high performance manager, yesterday said Burgess, who has won nationals four times since 2000, had been granted a medical exemption not to compete.

“Paul has been struggling with a number of health-related issues including foot and hand injuries,” Hollingsworth said.

“We felt it was not in his best interests to subject him to the pressure of championship competition at this stage.”

Burgess will have to prove he deserves a spot on the team for the world titles in Berlin in August before final selections are made on July 19.

Burgess has one A-qualifying standard, a 5.70m clearance from a club competition at Perry Lakes in January, and B-qualifiers of 5.62m and 5.55m in the Ukraine and Beijing during the selection period.

“What Paul has to do is put up as many A-qualifiers as possible between now and July when we make the second wave of selections,” said Hollingsworth.

A WAIS spokesman said Burgess had to apply for medical exemption to remain eligible for world championship selection and was currently not in a position to perform at his best.

Burgess, whose career has been plagued by injury, won silver at the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and 2002, but his major attempts have not reached the same heights, although he is among an elite group of vaulters who have cleared six metres.

Hooker will also have to justify his selection but has eight A-qualifiers to his name, including three straight jumps over 6m, the best an Australian record jump of 6.06m.

[rainbowgirl28]

Hooker will also have to justify his selection but has eight A-qualifiers to his name, including three straight jumps over 6m, the best an Australian record jump of 6.06m.

Hooker has already been guaranteed a spot on the team, he's not going to have to prove his selection. How many other men have even met the A standard? I think he could not jump a single meet between now and Worlds and Australia would still send him.

[altius]

"Hooker has already been guaranteed a spot on the team, he's not going to have to prove his selection. How many other men have even met the A standard? I think he could not jump a single meet between now and Worlds and Australia would still send him."

You are right Becca but this is Australia and they have strange views on team selection.