Steve Hooker aims at a better racing line while keeping an eye on the Europeans - IAAF Online Diaries
(Tuesday, 3 August 2010)
Go-karting, a barbeque, a low-key competition, and keeping an eye on Barcelona 2010, that’s how World and Olympic champion pole vaulter Steve Hooker has been filling in his time before the Samsung Diamond League resumes…
It’s good to have a little bit of down-time. I’m enjoying being able to spend a little time in one place, not travelling around all the time, just relaxing and training in Leverkusen.
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'More confident, more relaxed' Hooker aims high in Lausanne - IAAF Online Diaries
(Friday, 9 July 2010)
Heading for his fourth Diamond League appearance and with no win under his belt in the series so far, World and Olympic champion Steve Hooker believes his time has come to set the record straight...
“Since the New York Diamond League I’ve had some good, consistent training and I feel like I’m ready to start jumping well.
“I went to Wattenschied last weekend and won with 5.80. I just wanted a bit of a practice competition before Lausanne, where I could wind it down a bit, without the pressure that I had to win, which I’ll get in Lausanne.
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Hooker relishing favourite’s role - IAAF Online Diaries
(Friday, 30 April 2010)
As an IAAF Diamond League Ambassador, Steve Hooker realises he will be the man to beat in men’s Pole Vault this season - his results in the past two years give him that status anyway. But he doesn’t mind the extra attention.
"I like being in that position. I don’t feel like I’m lacking in areas where I can improve. There’s a lot of stuff I can work on to keep on improving my own performance. That’s what I focus on more than my opposition and how they’re jumping. If I can do my job, continue improving and keep working on my weaknesses, I should be able to keep myself in a very strong position.
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After Doha Gold, Hooker’s next stop is traditional Australian 120m foot race - IAAF Online Diaries
(Tuesday, 23 March 2010)
Steve Hooker’s feet have scarcely touched the ground after his gold medal in the Pole Vault in Doha 2010. Finally back in Perth, he reflects on the achievement and plans an assault on Australia’s oldest and richest handicap sprint.
“Since Doha, it’s mainly been a lot of travel. Back to Melbourne, a day at Falls Creek and back to Perth.
“Now I’ve got the chance to get back into training, then the Stawell Gift and the national championships (Perth, 16-18 April).
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Hooker begins final preparations for Doha - IAAF Online Diaries
(Friday, 26 February 2010)
Circumstances forced Steve Hooker to get pretty much into a zone of his own to win last year’s outdoor World championships. Again he is on his own as he prepares for the World Indoor Championships with competitions in Sydney this weekend and at the opening IAAF World Challenge meeting in Melbourne on 4 March.
“There’s no internationals jumping against me in these competitions, so I’ve really got to look within myself to what I’m doing. The aim is to get the best out of myself and get myself into the best possible position going to Doha.
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As New Year dawns, Steve Hooker feeling energised - IAAF Online Diaries
(Thursday, 28 January 2010)
A New Year, a new training venue and a strong training bloc under his belt - Steve Hooker is feeling re-energised.
"We’re now based at the new Perth athletics stadium, which is the venue for this year’s Australian national championships...
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Steve Hooker’s post-Christmas lunch nap: ‘Best sleep I have all year!’ – IAAF Online Diaries
(Tuesday, 22 December 2009)
Christmas takes Steve Hooker back to Melbourne to see his family, and perhaps some cricket, and a nap after Christmas Day lunch that he reckons is the best sleep he has all year!
"Being a Melbourne boy who now lives on the other side of the country in Perth, family Christmas means going home...
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Advent of IAAF Diamond League brings changes and new challenges for Steve Hooker - IAAF Online Diaries
(Tuesday, 24 November 2009)
The past two years have brought Steve Hooker Olympic and World gold medals after two concise and well-planned campaigns. The advent of the IAAF Diamond League, Hooker writes in his latest IAAF On-line diary, will bring some changes and new challenges.
"The Diamond League provides a big challenge. Winning the Diamond League in its inaugural year would be probably the biggest prize on offer in this coming year in athletics...
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More awards, and tax time for Steve Hooker - IAAF Online Diaries
(Thursday, 29 October 2009)
The accolades keep rolling in for Steve Hooker, the most recent ‘The Don Award’, a trophy for Australia’s most inspirational sporting achievement, named after Sir Donald Bradman, the peerless cricket batter widely considered Australia’s greatest ever sportsman.
That aside, Hooker’s just trying to get his life back in order after four months on the road.
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Berlin gold a new benchmark for Steven Hooker - IAAF Online Diaries
(Monday, 21 September 2009)
Steve Hooker drew on the past and discovered something for the future in winning the World Championships Pole Vault despite an adductor injury. He reflects on his performance and how he turned the situation around.
“If I can run down on one injured leg and one healthy leg and do three jumps of the quality I did in the world championships, then I know when I’m fully healthy I can do a lot more than that."
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Hooker better and better each day - IAAF Online Diaries
(Monday, 20 July 2009)
“Today (20 July) is exactly a month away from the pole vault qualifying competition and I feel like I’ll be going in there as strong as anyone.
“Physically, I’m just better and better each day. The injuries I had (a knee problem as a result of a training accident, and strained pectoral muscles) before leaving for Europe are not really a concern any more. Every day that I’m here is another solid day of training behind me without having to worry about those things."
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Hooker's quest for Berlin's glory starts in Cologne - IAAF Online Diaries
(Monday, 22 June 2009)
“I’ve been hanging out to get away from the Australian winter. I like the athlete lifestyle and I really enjoy my time on the road. Three months is probably about long enough, though, then it’s good to get home again.
“My competition programme is settled - Lausanne on 7 July, Reims on 14 July, London on 25 July and Stockholm on 31 July. They’re all venues where you can jump high. Four meets is probably the right fit for me. I like to feel like I build towards a major championship."
Hooker looking forward to new stadium in Perth – IAAF Online Diaries
(Friday, 29 May 2009)
"Hopefully this new stadium will help retain kids from Little Athletics all the way through and help the sport continue to have a resurgence in WA.
"It’s the first time we’ve had an athletics track in WA which has had lights, so it can host twilight and night competition which we couldn’t do over here before. That will fit in well with the hot summer weather."
Hooker enjoys Perth Indian Summer - IAAF Online Diaries
(Wednesday, 22 April 2009)
“Perth this time of year is amazing - cool, fresh mornings and it gets up to about 30 (deg. C) during the day. I go to the beach twice a day between sessions for recovery. At this time of year the sun has still got a bit of kick in it, but the water’s cool and refreshing. It’s my favourite time of year in Perth, I love training over here at this time.
“I’m doing three training sessions a day most days, and around that I’m getting a lot of treatment and massage for the injury I’ve had. My week is very full at the moment with training and all the things associated with it."
Steven Hooker back to the where it all started from - IAAF Online Diaries
(Wednesday, 25 April)
A month after making his first Olympic team in 2004, Steve Hooker competed in the Australian club championships, doing the 200, 400, high jump and 4x100 for his club, Box Hill. He tells us what his club and first vault coach mean to him and why, two days before the Melbourne World Athletics Tour event, he was back.
“I was there for a fund-raising event. The people who went were there because they were helping the club.
“Box Hill Athletic Club has got probably the most-used pole vault facility in Australia. Two or three groups jump on the bags every day, so they get worn out pretty quickly. It’s all funded by the club and the people involved."
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