Sprint hurdles queen Sally Pearson and world pole vault champion Steve Hooker have won gold for Australia on Monday night (day nine) of the XIX Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India.

Bouncing back from the disappointment of her disqualification from the 100m on Thursday night, Pearson claimed her first individual Commonwealth Games medal in emphatic fashion, crossing the line two metres clear of her nearest rival in a time of 12.67 (w:0.9).

The 2008 Olympic silver medallist was quick to assert her dominance over the field after a cautious start, chasing down eventual silver medallist Angela Whyte (CAN, 12.98) and training partner and bronze medal-winner Andrea Miller (NZL, 13.25).

"It’s so exciting, my first real title and it’s not going to be taken off me,” Pearson said.

Showing the strain of a tough couple of days in the Indian capital, Pearson broke down in tears after running “the race of (her) life” to claim gold.

“It wasn’t hard to put out (the disappointment of the 100m final) but it came out tonight, the emotions from it. It’s been a really stressful week, I tried my hardest to stay down and stay focused on what I had to do but I’ve come out tonight and run the race of my life,” said the 24-year-old Queenslander.

With 2010 Continental Cup and Commonwealth Games gold to her name, Pearson now has her sights set on next year’s IAAF world championships and the London Olympic Games.

“This is the start of many titles to get, I’ve got world champs next year and Olympics the year after so two big tough years coming up but I think I can handle it,” she said.

Pearson’s win marks the first time an Australian athlete has won the event at the Commonwealth Games since Pam Ryan claimed gold in 1970, the first year the race was extended from 80m to 100m.

Pearson was joined on top of the dais by team captain Steve Hooker, who successfully defended his Commonwealth Games crown with a leap of 5.60m.

Entering the competition at 5.50m Hooker sailed over the bar on his opening attempt to immediately figure in the medals, the Australian one of only three athletes remaining in the competition.

The reigning world, Olympic, world indoor and Commonwealth Games champion went on to clear 5.60m on his first attempt and when Englishman Steve Lewis failed all three attempts at 5.70m, the 28-year-old Western Australian-based star was handed victory on a countback.

The defence of his Commonwealth crown rounds out another successful year for Hooker, whose 2010 resume also includes world indoor championships and Continental Cup gold.

“I said I came here to win gold and whatever the height would be I’d be happy if I achieved that, so I’m happy,” Hooker said.

In pursuit of his own Commonwealth Games record of 5.80m set in Melbourne in 2006, Hooker raised the bar to 5.81m but opted out of the chase after feeling a twinge in his knee.

In other finals action on a big night at Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex, Ben St Lawrence and Collis Birmingham placed seventh and ninth respectively in the final of the men’s 10,000m, just days after contesting the 5000m in hot, humid conditions in the Indian capital.

Holding on to the leaders until midway through the race, St Lawrence and Birmingham lost touch with the lead group as it lifted the pace in the race for home, the Australians clocking 28:49.87 and 29:35.65 respectively.

Moses Kipsiro took line honours in 27:57.39 to round out the distance double, the Ugandan representative adding tonight’s crown to the 5000m title he won earlier in the meet.

Also on the track, Youcef Abdi placed sixth in the men’s 3000m steeplechase in a time of 8:33.20 behind a clean sweep of the medals by Kenya.

Setting up what will be a big closing night for Australia at the track, Mitch Kealey and Jeremy Roff both qualified for the final of the men’s 1500m and Australia’s men’s and women’s teams qualified for the finals of the 4x400m relays.

Tuesday night action at the track also sees Amanda Bisk, Alana Boyd and Liz Parnov in action in the women’s pole vault, Jarrod Bannister in the men’s javelin throw, Eloise Wellings in the women’s 5000m and the men’s 4x100m relay team (pending official results).

Athletics Australia