Men's Final - Hooker 5.96 OR, Lukyanenko 5.85

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http://www.keloland.com/Sports/NewsDeta ... Id=0,73259

Miles Returns From Beijing

Just days after his Gold medal dreams were dashed in Beijing, two-time Olympian Derek Miles has returned home.

Miles, who finished 4th in last week's Olympic Pole Vault finals, received a heroes welcome at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport [Tuesday]. And afterwards, he talked about coming so close to his dream.

"I just felt like I had it in my hands, it was mine to lose, and it really was. I think that's the hardest part," says Miles. "Its not, necessarily, that I finished 4th. I'm not overly focused on that so much as, had I just done what I was capable of doing, or what I've been doing all year, it wouldn't have been a problem."

The 35-year-old Miles says it is unlikely that he'll compete in London in 2012, but he'll never say never.

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http://orange.yourguide.com.au/news/loc ... 54968.aspx

Olympians receive heroes’ welcome
27/08/2008 7:59:00 AM
OLYMPIC GAMES
THE Australian Olympic team has been warmly welcomed home to much fanfare, cheers and laughter by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and hundreds of family and friends at Sydney Airport.

Most of the 435 Olympians, who took 46 medals between them, arrived home yesterday to cheering friends and the media as they entered Qantas Hangar 96 just after 8am.

Australia finished sixth in the medal tally, and won a podium position in 14 sports.

The elation on the athletes’ faces was visible at the top of the stairs leading down from the aircraft, as loved ones below cheered them and waved flags and mascots.

Triple gold medallist Stephanie Rice led her team-mates onto home soil and was welcomed by Mr Rudd, who climbed the steps to the door of the aircraft.

Mr Rudd told the athletes they were great ambassadors for the nation.

“Every Australian is proud of you. To the mums and dads and families who have made this so possible, the nation thanks you,” he said.

Opening ceremony flag-bearer, six-times Olympic rower James Tomkins, said the support the team had received from home had been “phenomenal”.

“It’s good to see so many friends and family here, it’s absolutely fantastic,” he said.

He congratulated the retiring athletes and said those staying on should “spoil the party” for the British at the upcoming London Olympics.

“For those of us who may be going to London, start preparing,” he said.

Rice told the crowd her performance in Beijing “exceeded my expectations”.

“I’m just looking forward to seeing my mum and having a holiday,” she said.

Athletes were milling around, sharing laughs, hugs and tears, and enjoying their reunions.

They posed for photos with each other and with Mr Rudd.

Rice and pole vault gold medallist Steve Hooker were mobbed by their supporters and besieged with requests for autographs and photos.

“It’s a dream come true for me,” Hooker said as he signed an autograph for 10-year-old Justin Burt.

“Im really looking forward to getting back to Melbourne to see my family and friends because I made a lot of sacrifices to train in Perth.”

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.watoday.com.au/news/sport/go ... 71306.html

Gold-laden athletes back home

Australian pole-vaulter Steve Hooker hugs his mum Erica after arriving home with his gold medal.
Photo: Jason South

Paul Millar
August 27, 2008
AS ERICA Nixon welcomed her son Steve Hooker home at Melbourne Airport yesterday, her eyes welled up and she let the tears fall.

She held on to her son, who pulled the pole vault gold medal from his pocket and gave it to her. She held the medal, wore it and the tears were gone, replaced by a smile of satisfaction.

"Steve has been working towards this for four years, and to have the rewards for him and the relief for us is just fabulous," Ms Nixon, who competed in the long jump at the 1972 Olympics, said.

Hooker said the welcome had been overwhelming. "I just felt so happy when I was flying in and seeing Melbourne all around.

"I'm looking forward to feeling winter again, I've been in some stifling conditions over the past couple of weeks, it'll be good to just chill out and sit back and watch the footy again."

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http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 22,00.html

While the politicians and sports bosses plan and plot to bring down Britain, the athletes have more immediate things in mind.

Holidays, plenty of sleep, no alarm clocks, catching up with family and friends and some of mum's home cooking were prominent in their thinking.

Pole vault gold medallist Steve Hooker, wearing the sort of smile reserved for Lotto winners, admitted "a good feed at mum's" was first on his list.

"I'm just hanging out to get to Melbourne to be with my parents and have my mum cook up one of her barbecues," Hooker said.

"She's great at it."

But while the Perth-based athlete thinks of his stomach in the short term, he has bigger things in mind for the future.

Hooker, who set an Olympic record of 5.96m in Beijing, says there is some unfinished business in the next year or two, like shooting at the world record of 6.14m set by the great Sergey Bubka, of Ukraine, in Italy in 1994.

"I want to have a crack at the world record over the next couple of years," he said.

Understandably, pole vaulting is the last thing on his mind at the moment, though Hooker, who said he is still on a high and will take a "long time" to come down, admitted he was contemplating returning to Europe to finish off the season.