Aussie Athlete Update: July 20 2011

Olympic, world, world indoor and Commonwealth pole vault champion Steve Hooker will make his Samsung Diamond League and 2011 European debut in Monaco (MON) this Friday as the countdown to the IAAF world championships next month steps up.

To be joined by Sally Pearson as she looks to back up her Australian record setting performance in the 100m hurdles last week, Hooker’s return marks his first competitive hit-out since winning gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi (IND).

The star duo’s start in the picturesque principality follows an eight-strong Australian start list competing at the annual Spitzen Leichathletik Luzern in Lucerne (SUI) on July 21. World championships boundathletes Ben Offereins (400m), Tamsyn Manou (800m), Melissa Breen (100m),Aaron Rouge-Serret (100m) and Alana Boyd (pole vault) lead the green and gold charge.

July’s competition schedule closes with Round 11 of the Samsung Diamond League in Stockholm (SWE) and the Istvan Gyulai Memorial in Budapest (HUN).

*Italics denotes athletes who have already been selected for the 2011 IAAF world championships

July 21: Spitzen Leichtathletik Luzern – Lucerne (SUI)
100m: Melissa Breen (20, ACT), Aaron Rouge-Serret (23, Vic)

400m: Ben Offereins (25, WA)

800m: Tamsyn Manou (33, Vic)

400m hurdles: Lauren Boden (22, ACT)

Long jump: Robbie Crowther (23, ACT)

Pole vault: Alana Boyd (26, WA)

Javelin throw: Jarrod Bannister (26, Vic)

July 22: IAAF Diamond League – Monaco (MON)
100m hurdles: Sally Pearson (24, Qld)

1500m: Ryan Gregson (21, NSW), Jeff Riseley (24, Vic)

5000m: Craig Mottram (31, Vic)

Pole vault: Steve Hooker (28, WA)

Discus throw: Dani Samuels (23, NSW)

July 22: XVII Míting Internacional d'Atletisme – Barcelona (ESP)
1500m: Jeremy Roff (28, NSW)

5000m: David McNeill (24, Vic)

Triple jump: Henry Frayne (21, Qld)

Discus throw: Benn Harradine (28, Vic)

July 24: Savo Games – Lapinlahti (FIN)
800m: Zoe Buckman (22, ACT), James Kaan (20, NSW)

3000m: Kaila McKnight (25, Vic), Brett Robinson (20, ACT)

3000m steeplechase: Youcef Abdi (33, NSW)

July 27: Joensuu Games – Joennsu (FIN)
1500m: Zoe Buckman (22, ACT), James Kaan (20, NSW)

3000m steeplechase: Youcef Abdi (33, NSW), Brett Robinson (20, ACT)

July 27: International Pole Vault Meeting – Jockgrim (GER)
Pole vault: Liz Parnov (17, WA)

July 29: IAAF Diamond League – Stockholm (SWE)
400m: Tristan Thomas (25, ACT)

800m: Tamsyn Manou (33, Vic)

1500m: Ryan Gregson (21, NSW), Jeff Riseley (24, Vic)

400m hurdles: Lauren Boden (22, ACT)

Long jump: Mitchell Watt (23, Qld)

Discus throw: Benn Harradine (28, Vic)

Javelin throw: Jarrod Bannister (26, Vic)

July 30: Istvan Gyulai Memorial – Budapest (HUN)
1500m: Kaila McKnight (25, Vic), Zoe Buckman (22, ACT)

ENDS