Hooker Defeated, Mickle Victorious

WAIS pole vault star Steve Hooker has suffered his first defeat in close to a year at the athletics meet in Reims whilst rising javelin star Kim Mickle has continued her promising World Championship build up with victory in Luzern.

Hooker, who celebrates his 27th birthday this week, cleared the bar at 5.77m but couldn’t convert at 5.87m to finish in third place behind two Frenchmen. Renaud Lavillenie took out the competition with a best of 5.82m, defeating compatriot Romain Mesnil on a countback.

The Olympic champion’s third place finish was the first time he hasn’t stood atop the podium since finishing behind Russian Yevgeniy Lukyanenko at the London Grand Prix on July 26 last year. His winning streak stretched nine meets around the world and despite it coming to an end Hooker is confident his World Championship preparation is well and truly on track.

“The thing is, I lost but I feel great,” he said.

“My body feels really good and I am running faster which may have caused some minor problems in this competition but will only help in competitions to come.

“I am looking forward to getting in some good training over the coming weeks and coming out flying for the London meet (25th July).”

Meanwhile Mickle’s record so far in Europe stands at two meet wins and a fifth place.

The 24-year old took out the meet in Luzern with a best throw of with a best throw of 62.09m, close to two metres better than her effort last week in Lausanne.

She defeated Poland’s Urszula Piwnicka (59.62m) and Slovenia’s Martina Ratej (58.94m) to claim the meet victory.