Hooker positive of a polished Australian display at the Bupa Great North CityGames

News release Thursday 16 September 2010 For immediate release Hooker positive of a polished Australian display at the Bupa Great North CityGames Olympic pole vault gold medalist, Steve Hooker, is positive that this year Australia will produce a much more polished display when competing against England at the Bupa Great North CityGames on Saturday (18 September 2010). The free event, which is taking place from 1:00pm-2:30pm, will feature traditional athletic events including the pole vault, long jump, track sprints and road races on the purpose built Bupa Great CityGames running track. It will give members of the public the rare opportunity to get up close and personal to top international athletes. The World Number One who will captain the visitors in the second staging of the England vs Australia "Test Match" says the side intends to make amends for the thrashing it took at the hands of a rampant England squad 12 months ago. Hooker, an absentee on the previous occasion due to injury, believes the Aussies will show their true world class capabilities in the innovative street meeting as they also continue to fine tune for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi next month. "Obviously I missed last year and yes, it was a bit of a shocker for us, although we had more than our fair share of injuries," he said. "This year we will definitely be much stronger and determined to make amends for that result. I've competed at street events many times before, so I'm looking forward to the Bupa Great CityGames. "It comes at a good time for Australia being so close to the Commonwealth Games and will be a good workout before New Delhi." Hooker also believes that with several of his side in the nine event meeting have been based in Cologne together whilst competing on the summer's European circuit, team spirit is at a high before the match. And he is adamant that as the remainder of the team arrived on Wednesday from various parts of Australia and seen each other for the first time since their domestic summer season earlier in the year, a real buzz will be established amongst the squad. Hooker showed with his victory at the IAAF Continental Cup Title Split just under a fortnight ago, that he is in the best form of his season, where he soared to the top of the world rankings with a vault of 5.95 metres. Now this year's IAAF World Indoor champion and the only pole vaulter in 2010 to clear over six metres with that success in Doha, intends to continue his sparkling form at the NewcastleGateshead Quayside venue when he and team mate Blake Lucas face the host nation's Luke Cutts and Steve Lewis. “If I’d been told at the start of the year I was going to jump 6.01m at the indoors and 5.95m at the Continental Cup, I would have taken those results," Hooker wrote in his IAAF Online diary at the beginning of the week. “Overall I’m happy with the way the year has gone. Now I’ve got just two more competitions, the England-Australia Test Match and the Commonwealth Games. “I’m looking forward to Newcastle. I like the idea of street athletics; it’s a good opportunity to get involved with that. “The majority of our Commonwealth Games team will get together for the first time at the Test. It will be great to catch up with my teammates." Sally Pearson the Olympic 100m hurdles silver medallist and also a Continental Cup winner was one of the elite athletes who arrived on Wednesday from Germany and she is facing a "double-header" over 150m and in her speciality event. The 23-year-old has been a revelation since returning to world class competition after injury problems last year and having beaten all of her top opponents during her latest campaign, looks a genuine gold medal prospect to lift the 2012 London Olympic Games title. Despite Hooker's upbeat comments and a stronger side, including over a dozen who will compete at the Commonwealths, the England team, who will be captained by European 110m hurdles gold medallist Andy Turner, are equally convinced they can score another success. "It's there for us to win again and I'm determined to lead from the front and score a victory to play my part," said Turner runner-up 12 months ago and who should hold the edge over Aussies, Greg Eyears and Daniel Small. Marlon Devonish returns to the same track where he produced an unbelievable UK 150m best performance when storming over five metres clear of his rivals and recording a time of 14.88sec, which smashed the previous fastest time of 14.93sec, achieved by John Regis in 1993. Devonish, who will be partnered by Rion Pierre, will be looking for a repeat of that form, although the highly experienced Patrick Johnson along with Jacob Groth, will give him a run for his money. Adding to Turner's belief of another win, the squad will also have European 100m silver medalist Mark Lewis-Francis, who along with Ryan Scott should have the speed to defeat Matt Davies and Aaron Rouge-Serret over that distance. Other on-form athletes, Jenny Meadows, who took the World Indoor 800m silver medal in March and bronze at the recent European Championships, steps up to the mile distance, while Laura Turner, who sped to a 100m victory in Milan last week also moves up to 150m. "I know the Aussies are a lot stronger but we have a side capable of winning again and what a great thing that would be before going to the Commonwealth Games," said Turner. "Seeing many of our main rivals for medals there will be a good insight and I'm sure we'll give them plenty to think about before moving on to India." The Bupa Great North CityGames will also be televised live on BBC One. -End- For more information or images please contact: Caroline Holmes E: caroline.holmes@nova-international.com T: 0191 226 3210 M: 07894 386 688