Sunday, 4 April 2010
Hooker out of Stawell’s six-semi shootout
Despite being added to the semi finals, world and Olympic pole vault champion Steve Hooker has withdrawn from the field of the 2010 Australia Post Stawell Gift as the sensational start to the 2010 Easter carnival continues.
At the conclusion of a dramatic opening day at Central Park where Canberra sprinter Tom Burbidge, starting off 8.75m, burst into favouritism on a track that was 3.2m too long, Victorian Athletic League officials reviewed video footage of the Gift semi-finals and concluded that three athletes were disadvantaged by the over-distance track. A final review of footage from the heats yesterday determined that two further runners, including Hooker, were added.
Hooker informed Stawell Athletic Club officials this afternoon of his decision saying an inflamed groin would keep him out of Australia richest footrace.
“Obviously I was a bit surprised to learn that I had been added to the semi final draw. When I woke up this morning my groin was inflamed and after what happened at the world championships and with the national titles just two weeks away, it’s not a risk I can afford to take,” Hooker said.
“At the end of the day, I haven’t got that much hope either so I will be happy to sit in the stands and watch the real sprinters fight it out.”
Pascoe Vale South’s Craig Foley (10m), who was second in heat one behind the Matt Beckenham-trained Luke Storta (6m) will progress to Monday’s semi-finals with a time of 13.32 seconds, as will Edward Ware (8.5m) from New South Wales who placed fourth in heat twelve behind Lavington’s John Adams (6.75m) in 13.07s.
In heat fourteen, another Beckenham-trained athlete, Grant Billingham running off 7m, placed second to Taylor’s Lakes Lachlan Taylor (8.5m) in 13.23s and will join five of his training partners in Monday’s semis.
Beckenham’s six semi-finalists include 25-year-old Burbidge, who blasted his heat in 12.48s to the become the red-hot $1.25 favourite for Monday’s decider. He will first have to negotiate a six-semi shoot-out where the winners will back-up just under two hours later for a chance to become the 129th winner of the prestigious event.
The final review this morning by Victorian Athletic League officials confirmed the addition of two more athletes – Hooker and Stawell veteran Ryan Hoffman.
In Taylor’s heat, Hooker starting off 5.5m and wearing the red silks of the backmarker could do no better than 3rd in 13.24s but progressed after an early morning review of the 20 heats confirmed that he was one of the additional two athletes that were disadvantaged by the extra 3.2m.
In heat 19, Queenslander Hoffman (10m), the coach of 2009 Australia Post Stawell Gift winner Aaron Stubbs, was second to Nick Magree in 13.36s but it was enough to join his charge in tomorrow’s penultimate round.
Stawell Athletic Club officials re-adjusted the track before the start of today’s proceedings to correct the 3.2m anomaly, with a 20cm reduction at the finish line and a start mark that has now moved 3m closer to the iconic finish frame.
The draw for Monday’s semi-finals will be released later today and will include the defending champion Stubbs, world championships long jump bronze medallist Mitchell Watt, early favourite Doncaster’s 20-year-old Josh Tiu, 2009 finalist Brendan Matthews and South Australian Dale Woodhams who will be keen to make amends after a disappointing showing in his semi-final last year.
Semi-finals will start from 12.10pm tomorrow with the final to be run at 1:44pm. Network Ten and One will cover the event live between 12 noon and 2pm.