Steve Hooker confirms management team

(Friday, 5 September 2008)

Olympic pole vault champion Steve Hooker has appointed Grand Slam International to act as his exclusive commercial management firm.

Hooker created history at the Beijing Olympic Games, becoming the first Australian to win a gold medal in the pole vault.

In dramatic circumstances, Hooker twice cleared clutch jumps on his third attempt in the final, before clinching the gold medal with yet another third attempt clearance at 5.90m.

With the gold medal secured he went on to break the Olympic record, with another third and final attempt heart-stopper at 5.96m.

He became the first Australian field event athlete to win Olympic Gold in 60 years, the first Australian male track or field gold medallist since 1968 and the first Australian athletics Olympic champion since Cathy Freeman in 2000.

Hooker joins an outstanding stable of stars at Grand Slam International including swimmers Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones, Tour de France star Cadel Evans, winter Olympians Alisa Camplin and Torah Bright and Socceroo John Aloisi.

Hooker also announced that Jump Media and Marketing will work in partnership with Grand Slam International to promote and leverage media and sponsorship activities.

Respected international athletics agents Brian Roe and Maurie Plant, who have helped guide Hooker’s international career since he made his senior international debut in 2003, will continue to organise the domestic and international competition calendar in consultation with coach Alex Parnov.

“I am still coming to terms with my achievement in Beijing and have been overwhelmed with the support I have received since returning to Australia,” Hooker said. “It’s amazing how one night, and in some ways just one jump, can have such an impact on so many people.”

“I have a long career ahead of me and in many ways this is just the start, so it’s crucial I have a team around me who understands how important my competition program is over the next four years.”

“I feel this team will ensure I maintain my performance focus over the next four years,” Hooker said.

Grand Slam International managing director David Flaskas said he was delighted to have Steve Hooker as part of the Grand Slam International team.

‘What Steve did in Beijing was extraordinary. Gold medals in athletics are hard to win, and he did it the really hard way. But he did so with humility and grace under pressure,” Flaskas said.

“As for all our successful Olympians, it is a competitive market, but Steve is already attracting considerable interest and we look forward to helping him achieve his goals on and off the track.”