Hooker, McLellan big medal hopes for Australia 
Web posted at: 8/10/2009 9:22:57
Source ::: AFP

SYDNEY: Olympic medallists Steve Hooker, Sally McLellan and Jared Tallent are rated Australia’s best hopes of adding to the country’s select list of world champions in Berlin.

Australia have won seven gold medals at the world championships but their winning chances in 2009 have been hard hit by the injury withdrawals of defending world champions, Jana Pittman Rawlinson and Nathan Deakes.

But Beijing Olympic pole vault champion Hooker is viewed as the team’s best chance to add a world title to his imposing resume in Berlin.

Hooker, 27, set an Olympic record of 5.96 metres and became Australia’s first-ever field gold medallist when he won in Beijing last August.

Hooker is the second-highest vaulter of all time behind the six-time world champion Sergey Bubka (6.15m) with a best clearance of 6.06m in Boston last year.