WAF - men - Walker 5.91, Otto 5.86, Hooker 5.81

[BruceFlorman]

Again WCSN is only providing video on a delayed basis (noon EDT, 9am PDT) *******!
IAAF live radio: http://epl.sportev.com/iaaf.asx
IAAF live scoring: http://www.iaaf.org/live/flash/WAF07/live.html

[BruceFlorman]

I overslept a bit this morning, ... but here's the score now as the bar goes up to 5.70:

Code: Select all

Pos Athletes        545 560 570 576 581 586 591
6   Igor PAVLOV     -   xo  -   
1   Denys YURCHENKO o   o   
1   Jeff HARTWIG    o   o   
1   Steven HOOKER   o   o   
6   Danny ECKER     xo  -   
1   Bjorn OTTO      o   o   
1   Tim LOBINGER    o   o   -   
6   Brad WALKER     -   xo   

[BruceFlorman]

Yurchenko is first over 5.70, and now Walker is passing at this height.

Hartwig misses his first.

Hooker clears it.

First attempt misses for both Ecker and Otto.

Another miss for Hartwig.

Now Ecker misses his 2nd at 5.70 too.

Otto clears it on his 2nd try.

Now Hartwig is up for his last shot at 5.70 ... and yes! He's over. Geezer power!

Ecker makes it too, so everybody's still in.

Code: Select all

Pos Athletes        545 560 570 576 581 586 591
7   Igor PAVLOV     -   xo  -   
1   Denys YURCHENKO o   o   o   
4   Jeff HARTWIG    o   o   xxo
1   Steven HOOKER   o   o   o   
5   Danny ECKER     xo  -   xxo -
3   Bjorn OTTO      o   o   xo  -
6   Tim LOBINGER    o   o   -   
7   Brad WALKER     -   xo  -   

[BruceFlorman]

Pavlov and Yurchenko both miss at 5.76.

Hartwig too.

First miss of the day for Hooker too.

A big groan from the crowd as Lobinger misses.

Walker has the chance to take first now. But no, he misses too.

2nd misses for Pavlov, Hartwig and Hooker. Yurchenko passes.

I don't know if there's a real delay on the field, or if the scoring has just stalled.

Finally we see a 2nd miss for Lobinger.

Walker misses too, so nobody has cleared 5.76 yet.

Third miss for Pavlov, so he's the first out today.

Rats ... Hartwig's out too.

Finally ... Hooker clears 5.76 on his third attempt.

But now Lobinger has a third miss.

Walker makes it too! So the bar goes up to 5.81 now with five still in it.

Code: Select all

Pos Athlete         545 560 570 576 581 586 591
8   Igor PAVLOV     -   xo  -   xxx
3   Denys YURCHENKO o   o   o   x- 
5   Jeff HARTWIG    o   o   xxo xxx
1   Steven HOOKER   o   o   o   xxo
6   Danny ECKER     xo  -   xxo -   
4   Bjorn OTTO      o   o   xo  -   
7   Tim LOBINGER    o   o   -   xxx
2   Brad WALKER     -   xo  -   xxo

[BruceFlorman]

A miss for Yurchenko. Since he passed after one miss at 5.76, he's only got one left.

A miss for Hooker.

They're showing Walker passing at this height.

Ecker missed it.

A miss for Otto as well, so nobody clear of 5.81 the first time through.

Now Yurchenko is done for the day after a second miss here and one at 5.76.

Again, Hooker is the first to clear the height.

A big roar from the crowd as Ecker goes clear.

Now Otto makes it as well. So four still alive as the bar goes up to 5.86.

Code: Select all

Pos Athlete         545 560 570 576 581 586 591
8   Igor PAVLOV     -   xo  -   xxx
5   Denys YURCHENKO o   o   o   x-  xx
6   Jeff HARTWIG    o   o   xxo xxx
2   Steven HOOKER   o   o   o   xxo xo 
3   Danny ECKER     xo  -   xxo -   xo 
1   Bjorn OTTO      o   o   xo  -   xo 
7   Tim LOBINGER    o   o   -   xxx
4   Brad WALKER     -   xo  -   xxo -   

[BruceFlorman]

First up is Hooker, and it's a miss.

A run-through for Ecker.

Otto, already in 1st, is the first over 5.86! The crowd goes wild.

A miss now for Walker.

Both Hooker and Ecker pass now, so Walker is up again. He's in fourth, so this is a chance to move up ($) ... but no, he's passing too.

Code: Select all

Pos Athlete         545 560 570 576 581 586 591
8   Igor PAVLOV     -   xo  -   xxx
5   Denys YURCHENKO o   o   o   x-  xx
6   Jeff HARTWIG    o   o   xxo xxx
2   Steven HOOKER   o   o   o   xxo xo  x- 
3   Danny ECKER     xo  -   xxo -   xo  x- 
1   Bjorn OTTO      o   o   xo  -   xo  o   
7   Tim LOBINGER    o   o   -   xxx
4   Brad WALKER     -   xo  -   xxo -   x- 

[BruceFlorman]

Now at 5.91 it's a miss for Hooker.

A miss for Ecker as well. They've both got one more.

Otto misses too, but he gets two more shots.

And a miss for Walker.

Now Hooker missed again and he's out.

Another run-through for Ecker, so he's out in third unless Walker clears.

The crowd is clapping hard for Otto, but then a big groan. But he's still got one more.

So Walker has one last chance... YES!!! Suddenly he's in 1st, and Otto, with just one left, will need to go higher to beat him.

So Otto passes his last attempt to 5.96. No point in staying in 2nd.

Code: Select all

Pos Athlete         545 560 570 576 581 586 591 596
8   Igor PAVLOV     -   xo  -   xxx
5   Denys YURCHENKO o   o   o   x-  xx
6   Jeff HARTWIG    o   o   xxo xxx
3   Steven HOOKER   o   o   o   xxo xo  x-  xx
4   Danny ECKER     xo  -   xxo -   xo  x-  xx
2   Bjorn OTTO      o   o   xo  -   xo  o   xx-
7   Tim LOBINGER    o   o   -   xxx
1   Brad WALKER     -   xo  -   xxo -   x-  xo 

[BruceFlorman]

Doh ... Otto runs through, so Walker takes the win. Will he even bother with another jump?

LOL ... he's going to take a shot at 6.16. At least according to the live scoring. They haven't said anything about it on the radio.

Okay, he made one attempt. The radio folks say it even looked pretty good, although it was a miss. Now he's calling it a day.

Code: Select all

Pos Athlete         545 560 570 576 581 586 591 596 616
8   Igor PAVLOV     -   xo  -   xxx
5   Denys YURCHENKO o   o   o   x-  xx
6   Jeff HARTWIG    o   o   xxo xxx
3   Steven HOOKER   o   o   o   xxo xo  x-  xx
4   Danny ECKER     xo  -   xxo -   xo  x-  xx
2   Bjorn OTTO      o   o   xo  -   xo  o   xx- x
7   Tim LOBINGER    o   o   -   xxx
1   Brad WALKER     -   xo  -   xxo -   x-  xo  -   x

So do we call him "Isi in a jock"?

[BruceFlorman]

What a tease! He came back out like he was going to take a second attempt, but he aborted halfway down the runway. Now I think he's really calling it a day.

[roger/over]

Not to be lost in the final placings:

5.70 Jeff Hartwig (USA) 25 Sept 1987 (6) WAF Stuttgart 23 Sept 2007

Just two days later, this would have been a new World Masters 40 record, currently claimed at 5.50m, and every masters vaulter except one would have been overjoyed to see the change. I believe Hartwig expects to have two more outdoor chances this season--best of luck to him!

[rainbowgirl28]

By Paul Merca

Brad Walker's decision to pass pays off at World Athletics Final

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-23 September 2007

STUTTGART, Germany--In a scenario similar to what he faced three weeks ago in Osaka, reigning world pole vault champion Brad Walker from Mountlake Terrace's gamble to pass a lower height paid off, as he cleared 19-4 3/4 (5.91m) and departed Gottlieb Daimler Stadion with the victory in the IAAF World Athletics Final, along with the $30,000 first prize money.

Walker was mired in fourth place after early misses at 18-4 1/2 (5.60), and 18-10 3/4 (5.76). After Germany's Bjorn Otto cleared 19-2 3/4 (5.86) to take the lead, and Walker followed with a miss at that height, the former Washington Husky elected to pass and move on to 19-4-3/4, as a make at 19-2 3/4 would do no good in the standings.

Australia's Steven Hooker and Germany's Danny Ecker were in the same predicament, and followed Walker in passing their two attempts remaining at 19-2 3/4.

Walker was the only man to clear 19-4 3/4 on his second attempt, forcing Otto to pass to 19-6 1/2 (5.96) in order to retake the lead.

Otto failed in his one attempt at 19-6 1/2, giving Walker the win. Walker took a shot at 20-2 1/2 (6.16), the first such attempt at Sergey Bubka of Ukraine's 1994 outdoor world record mark of 20-1 3/4 (6.14) in competition since Tim Mack attempted the same height at the 2004 WAF in Monaco.

Otto took second at 19-2 3/4 (5.86), with Hooker third, and Ecker fourth, both clearing 19-0 3/4 (5.81).

Walker made two good attempts but couldn't get his grip right on the third, jogging through the pit and then thanking the crowd for their support.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/o ... igs24.html

Briefs | Ex-Husky Walker pole vaults to victory in Germany


THOMAS KIENZLE / AP
Brad Walker, an ex-UW Huskies standout, reacts after Sunday's pole-vault victory in Stuttgart, Germany.
Track and field

Walker prevails in pole vault: Brad Walker, a former Washington Huskies standout who lives in Mountlake Terrace, won the pole vault at 19 feet, 4 ¾ inches at the IAAF World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany.

Walker, 26, attempted to surpass the world record of 20-2 ¼ held by Sergey Bubka of Ukraine. Walker, the reigning world champion, didn't come close with the bar at 20-2 ½.

Sanya Richards, a 400-meter runner who lives in Austin, Texas, won in 49.27 seconds, matching her fastest time in the world for this season.

A week earlier, Richards posted the same time in Berlin to improve to 6 for 6 in IAAF Golden League races â€â€