WC Men Preview and Q round: Hooker, Hollis, Luky. out

[rainbowgirl28]

From USATF:

Derek Miles, men’s pole vault
“You know, the prelims are always a lose-lose deal, you kind of expect yourself to make it through the final and you have to go out and do it. But even when you make the final, your just like ‘well, that’s what I should have done’...but making the final is always important...this is my eighth team and this is my eighth final and I’m excited about that....but you still have to go back and regroup and figure out how to make it better...the old man is still kicking.”

Mark Hollis, men’s pole vault
“I felt great in warmups...made the first bar easily...I went up to the next height and I think it was such a fast track, that I was just too close and I came down on the bar three times in a row. It was frustrating especially the way I was feeling. I was disappointed but it was a great experience being here.”

Jeremy Scott, men’s pole vault
“It went just as we had it plan -- three bars and three makes and no misses. We really had a great look at the box and I think were set up good for the finals. I feel great. I feel like I’m as ready for the World Championships as I’ve ever been. I’ve jumping as consistently good as I’ve ever been. I’ll do a little shakeout for tomorrow, otherwise I’ll kick the feet up and just rest getting ready for the finals.”

[rainbowgirl28]

Hooker interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATU5mSzvgVQ

[rainbowgirl28]

More video (crappy quality): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfslIjyk_Yg

[canag]

What is the black ribbon for?

This is a tribute to former french pole vaulter and olympic champion Pierre Quinon. All french athletes will wear it during the competition.

[achtungpv]

Without looking it up, I think this goes down as the weakest qualifying round in an OG or WC since '84. Of course, it was relatively much stronger then since 5.50 meant a lot more then. If there's a year to get in and get a medal that wouldn't have been realistic in the past, this is it.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/athletic ... 1jgga.html

Jumper gave it his best
Michael Gleeson
August 29, 2011

Steve Hooker tumbles onto the mat as he makes a "no vault" during the men's pole vault qualification round on Saturday. Photo: Getty Images
STEVE Hooker will walk humbly away from these championships without jumping, chastened, but hungrier than ever, says his jumping mentor Alex Parnov.

''The failure will make him even stronger,'' Parnov said.

The performance on Saturday when the man who holds every relevant world indoor, outdoor and Olympic title failed to even make a jump stunned everyone.

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He went down the runway with the urgency of a boy late for church - slow and unconvincing.

In retrospect it was plain to see what might happen. Hooker clearly said he was not ready, but in the case of such a star athlete there was always the ''She'll be right'' assumption.

Pole vaulting is a sport that, on one hand, offers no comfort to the unready for it demands absolute faith in your ability to launch yourself six metres in the air. But, on the other hand, it also tolerates the unready because success can be achieved in a minimum of jumps.

In Berlin, Hooker was in far worse physical condition, but by that time he had jumped so often and so well he had confidence in his abilities. The opposite was true in Daegu - his body was sound but he had not jumped enough to believe in it.

On Wednesday, he confessed to a heart-to-heart with his physio in which he was challenged to decide when he had to admit that he would not and could not be ready in time. ''Physically I'm there … I'm going to go out there and just compete. That's all I can do,'' he said.

''He believed he could compete and he wanted to try and do his best,'' Parnov said.