Australia has had its best result for the European season with Paul Burgess winning the men’s pole vault at the Golden League meet in Rome ahead of fellow Australian Steve Hooker.

Only attempting three heights ‘Budgie’ took the victory on his second vault at 5.82m, with Steve Hooker in second with 5.77, and USA’s World silver medallist and IAAF number one ranked vaulter Brad Walker back in third on 5.72m, taking that position on count back.

For Burgess, it was a timely return to the winners’ podium after a quiet period following the disappointment of the Commonwealth Games.

The only man over six metres in 2005, Burgess missed the World Championships in Helsinki through injury and then failed to record a height at the Commonwealth Games final in Melbourne.

Burgess is currently ranked seventh in the world, however against a tough field at one of the world’s top meets; he has reminded the athletics world that he continues push towards the 2007 Osaka World Championships and Beijing 2008 with his eyes firmly fixed on the world’s number one place.

For Athens Olympian and Commonwealth Champion Steve Hooker, fifth on the rankings, the result was confirmation that in the past two years he has risen to be one of the world’s top vaulters.

In other results, Clinton Hill placed sixth in the slower of the two 400m races, clocking 45.66. World and Olympic Champion Jeremy Wariner (USA) clocked 43.62sec, the fourth fastest 400m of all time, in the other race.

Youcef Abdi placed thirteenth in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 8:29.95.

Wariner, Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba (women's 5,000), Sanya Richards of the United States (women's 400) and Jamaican Asafa Powell are all still in the running for the Golden League jackpot, awarded to any athlete that wins their event in all six meets in the series.

Athletics Australia and Wires