Steve Hooker

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Steve Hooker
{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|OAM}}}}

| image = 2008 Australian Olympic team Steve Hooker - Sarah Ewart cropped.jpg

| imagesize = 200px

| caption = Steve Hooker in 2008

| fullname = Steven Leslie Hooker

| nickname = Hooksy

| nationality = Australian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1982|07|16}}

| birth_place = Melbourne, Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{height|cm=187}}[http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/letter=0/athcode=174653 Steve Hooker's profile at the IAAF site]

| weight = {{convert|75|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

| sport = Athletics

| event = Pole vault

| club =

| team =

| regionals =

| nationals =

| olympics = 2004 Athens Olympics, 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics

| highestranking =

| pb =

| updated =

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal|Country | {{AUS}}}}

| show-medals = yes

}}

Steven Leslie Hooker OAM (born 16 July 1982) is an Australian former pole vaulter and Olympic gold medalist. His personal best, achieved in 2008, is {{T&Fcalc|6.06}} making him the fourth-highest pole vaulter in history,{{Cite web |url=http://iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=49249.html |title=Hooker's rise continues - 6.06m in Boston |access-date=9 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209113855/http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=49249.html |archive-date=9 February 2009 |url-status=live}} behind Sergey Bubka, Renaud Lavillenie and Armand Duplantis.

Hooker was born in Melbourne, Victoria, and has a personal best of 10.79 s in 100 m as an amateur sprinter.{{Cite web |url=http://www.theage.com.au/sport/steve-hooker-to-run-in-stawell-gift-20100316-qbpo.html |title=Steve Hooker to run in Stawell Gift |date=16 March 2010 |access-date=18 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100322191419/http://www.theage.com.au/sport/steve-hooker-to-run-in-stawell-gift-20100316-qbpo.html |archive-date=22 March 2010 |url-status=live}} He ran in the 2010 Stawell Gift.

Career

Hooker won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with a vault of 5.96 metres, setting a new Olympic record, and making him the first Australian male track and field gold medallist in 40 years since Ralph Doubell won the 800 metres in Mexico City in 1968.{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/beijing_olympics/story/0,27313,24229212-5017041,00.html |title=Steve Hooker lives out his Olympic games dream |work=The Australian |date=24 August 2009 |access-date=6 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091009223201/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/beijing_olympics/story/0,27313,24229212-5017041,00.html |archive-date=9 October 2009 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |first=Simon |last=Evans |title=Hooker gives Australia pole gold |agency=Reuters |date=22 August 2008}}{{cite news |agency=Australian Associated Press |title=Aussie Hooker wins pole vault gold medal |url=http://au.sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news/article/-/4952294/steve-hooker-wins-pole-vault-gold-medal |publisher=Yahoo Sports|date=23 August 2008 |access-date=24 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080825184644/http://au.sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news/article/-/4952294/steve-hooker-wins-pole-vault-gold-medal |archive-date=25 August 2008 |url-status=dead}}

At the 2009 World Athletics Championships, in Berlin, Hooker won the gold medal despite a hamstring injury. On only his second jump, Hooker cleared 5.90 metres, to win the gold medal after missing 5.85 metres on his first attempt.{{cite news |title=Hooker wins pole vault gold at worlds |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2009-08-22-1590710289_x.htm |work=USA Today |author=Nesha Starcevic |date=22 August 2009 |access-date=26 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090827005058/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2009-08-22-1590710289_x.htm |archive-date=27 August 2009 |url-status=live}}[http://issuu.com/insideathletics/docs/ia10/14?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Fdark%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true Hooked on Success] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027135716/http://issuu.com/insideathletics/docs/ia10/14?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Fdark%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true |date=27 October 2009 }}. Inside Athletics (September 2009 edition). [http://www.insideathletics.com.au] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090929183428/http://insideathletics.com.au/ |date=29 September 2009 }}. Retrieved 7 October 2009.

At the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, Hooker won the gold medal in the pole vault with a vault of 6.01 metres, a championship record.

At the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Hooker won the gold medal in the pole vault.

Hooker competed at the 2012 London Olympics and finished 14th after failing to vault a height in the final.{{cite web |title=Steven Hooker |url=http://athhistory.sportstg.com/athletes/athlete4466.htm |website=Australian Athletics Historical Results |access-date=11 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011130536/http://athhistory.sportstg.com/athletes/athlete4466.htm |archive-date=11 October 2017 |url-status=dead}}

Hooker joined six-metre club for the first time on 27 January 2008 at an outdoor competition in Perth, Western Australia with a vault of 6.0m. On 7 February 2009, at the Boston Indoor Games he set an Australian indoor record with a vault of 6.06m. Both heights were the Australian record at the time of his retirement.{{cite web |title=Steven Hooker |url=https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/australia/steven-hooker-174653 |website=IAAF website |access-date=11 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011184219/https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/australia/steven-hooker-174653 |archive-date=11 October 2017 |url-status=live}}

During his career he was coached by Mark Stewart and Alex Parnov.

He retired from athletics in April 2014, choosing to focus on his family. His wife Yekaterina Kostetskaya gave birth to their first son, Maxim, in 2013,[http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/pole-vault-steve-hooker-retires Australian pole vault star Steve Hooker retires] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140414121330/http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/pole-vault-steve-hooker-retires |date=14 April 2014 }}. IAAF (12 April 2014). Retrieved 13 April 2014. and the couple have since had two more sons.{{cite web| url=https://www.innereastreview.com.au/story/7647354/family-of-athletes-that-hits-the-heights| title=Athletic family hits the heights with love of Richmond|website = Inner East Review| date=14 March 2022|publisher = Australian Community Media|access-date = 7 May 2023}}

Honours

In the 2009 Australia Day Honours, Steve Hooker was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) "For service to sport as a Gold Medallist at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games".{{cite web|url=https://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/ad/ad2009/Media%20notes%20OAM%20%28A-E%29%20%28final%29.pdf|website=gg.gov.au|title=Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division (A-E)|access-date=29 July 2022}}[https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1139972 "For service to sport as a Gold Medallist at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412184928/https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1139972 |date=12 April 2020 }}, It's an Honour, 26 January 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2013. In October 2017, Hooker was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as an athlete member.{{cite web |title=Steve Hooker's golden record vaults him into Hall of Fame |url=https://sahof.org.au/steve-hookers-golden-record-vaults-him-into-hall-of-fame/|website=Sport Australia Hall of Fame website |date=11 October 2017 |access-date=27 September 2020 }}

Personal life

Hooker attended Greythorn Primary School and Balwyn High School in Balwyn North, Victoria.

His mother Erica Hooker was a 1972 Olympian and a 1978 Commonwealth Games long jump silver medalist. She also won nine national titles. His father Bill represented Australia in the 800 m and 4 x 400 m at the 1974 Commonwealth Games and won four national crowns.

He began his career with the Box Hill Athletic Club. His career started slowly, and he only went professional in 2006. He relocated to Perth, living on a very modest Australian Sports Commission allowance.

File:Steven Hooker Berlin 2009.JPG

Summary of athletic achievements

{{AchievementTable}}
colspan="6"\|Representing {{AUS}}
2000 \|World Junior Championships \|Santiago, Chile \| 4th \|5.20 m
rowspan=3\|2006 \|Commonwealth Games \|Melbourne, Australia \|bgcolor="gold"\| 1st \|5.80 m
World Athletics Final \|Stuttgart, Germany \| 5th \|5.75 m
World Cup \|Athens, Greece \|bgcolor="gold"\| 1st \|5.80 m
2007 \|World Athletics Final \|Stuttgart, Germany \|bgcolor=cc9966\| 3rd \|5.81 m
rowspan=2\|2008 \|World Indoor Championships \|Valencia, Spain \|bgcolor=cc9966\| 3rd \|5.80 m
Olympic Games \|Beijing, China \|bgcolor="gold"\| 1st \|5.96 m {{AthAbbr\|OR}}
2009 \|World Championships \|Berlin, Germany \|bgcolor="gold"\| 1st \|5.90 m
rowspan=3\|2010 \|World Indoor Championships \|Doha, Qatar \|bgcolor="gold" \| 1st \|6.01 m {{AthAbbr\|CR\|IAAF World Indoor Championships}}
Continental Cup \|Split, Croatia \|bgcolor="gold"\| 1st \|5.95 m CR
Commonwealth Games \|New Delhi, India \|bgcolor="gold" \| 1st \|5.60 m

colspan="6"|Representing {{AUS}}

2000

|World Junior Championships

|Santiago, Chile

| 4th

|5.20 m

rowspan=3|2006

|Commonwealth Games

|Melbourne, Australia

|bgcolor="gold"| 1st

|5.80 m

World Athletics Final

|Stuttgart, Germany

| 5th

|5.75 m

World Cup

|Athens, Greece

|bgcolor="gold"| 1st

|5.80 m

2007

|World Athletics Final

|Stuttgart, Germany

|bgcolor=cc9966| 3rd

|5.81 m

rowspan=2|2008

|World Indoor Championships

|Valencia, Spain

|bgcolor=cc9966| 3rd

|5.80 m

Olympic Games

|Beijing, China

|bgcolor="gold"| 1st

|5.96 m {{AthAbbr|OR}}

2009

|World Championships

|Berlin, Germany

|bgcolor="gold"| 1st

|5.90 m

rowspan=3|2010

|World Indoor Championships

|Doha, Qatar

|bgcolor="gold" | 1st

|6.01 m {{AthAbbr|CR|IAAF World Indoor Championships}}

Continental Cup

|Split, Croatia

|bgcolor="gold"| 1st

|5.95 m CR

Commonwealth Games

|New Delhi, India

|bgcolor="gold" | 1st

|5.60 m

References

External links

{{World Athletics}}
[http://www.stevehooker.com.au/ Steve Hooker personal website]
[http://athletics.possumbility.com/athletes/athlete4466.htm Steven Hooker] at Australian Athletics Historical Results
{{AOC profile}}
{{Olympics.com profile}}
{{Olympedia}}
{{CGA profile|steve-hooker}}
{{CGF profile}}
{{2006 Commonwealth Games profile}}
{{2010 Commonwealth Games profile|553729}}