Leading Australian athletes Steve Hooker and Sally Pearson have continued to show promising signs heading into the Commonwealth Games, both winning gold medals at the IAAF Continental Cup meet in Croatia.
Hooker won the pole vault with a leap of 5.95m while Pearson blew the field away in the 100m hurdles.
The win for Hooker marks the first time in the 28-year-old's career that he has defended a world title after taking gold at the 2006 World Cup – now known as the Continental Cup – in Greece four years ago.
"Being a World Cup and Continental Cup title-holder for eight years gives me confidence for the Commonwealth Games," Hooker said.
"It was a very good jump, I'm now holding a world-leading result for the first time ever and I'll be very proud if it stays that way at the end of the season."
"To defend this title was very important to me this year and we have sacrificed some of the season to work on some aspects of my jumping."
"I can now focus on the Commonwealth Games as that is the last remaining goal for the year."
Hooker was joined on the winners’ list in Split by in-form Queenslander Sally Pearson, who became the first Oceania athlete to claim the 100m hurdles crown in the history of the meet.
"I’m really excited," Pearson said.
"I came here to win and I did it. I’m going home with US$30,000 and since I’m looking for a new house it’s a good day’s work, it will help me."
Also adding his name to a strong night for Australian athletes was discus specialist Benn Harradine, who bettered his own national record to clinch silver in the men’s discus event.
Despite his impressive performance in Split overnight, Harradine said bigger and better results were ahead.
"I'm very satisfied because it's the first time I’ve broken a national record at such a big competition," he said.
"Lack of experience was a big problem for me but now it seems that everything is in the right place. I'm building my form slowly for the Commonwealth Games so I wasn't really fresh here. I'm pretty sure I can do even better."
Australia’s athletes will now turn their attention to the Great North City Games in Newcastle-Gateshead on Saturday, September 18.