Unhappy Hooker on ice for nationals

(Thursday, 12 March 2009)

Succumbing to a knee injury which he has carried for the last two months, Olympic pole vault champion Steve Hooker has been forced to withdraw from next week’s Selection Trials and 87th Australian Championships in Brisbane.

Yesterday, Hooker accepted medical advice to rest his knee, forcing him to miss the Western Australian Championships this weekend, the final meet at the soon to be demolished Perry Lakes Stadium, and the nationals in Brisbane to be held from Thursday, 19 – Saturday, 21 March.

“My doctor has advised me to take two weeks off running and four weeks off jumping,” Hooker said from his base in Perth this afternoon.

“I’m disappointed that I won’t be able to defend my national title, however it’s important that this injury gets dealt with now so I can complete a full preparation ahead of the world championships in Berlin.”

The dual national champion originally injured his knee competing at a Perth intra-club meet in January. Snapping his pole in half on takeoff, the pole flicked back connecting heavily with his left knee.

Despite the injury, Hooker has had a sensational year to date, registering seven consecutive victories in the United States, Europe and Australia, including three straight wins over six metres, a feat achieved by only one other vaulter, the great Sergey Bubka.

In Boston last month, the 26-year-old became the second best jumper of all time and secured the Australian record when he cleared 6.06m before the first of many close attempts at Bubka’s long standing world record.

Although he won’t be taking off from the runway in Brisbane, Hooker will be supporting his fellow athletes from the stands at the nationals, before attending the Athletics Australia Athlete of the Year function on Sunday, 22 March at Rydges Southbank.

The 87th Australian Championships (Thursday, 19 – Saturday, 21 March) also double as the selection trials for the 2009 IAAF World Championships to be held in August in Berlin.

With thanks to Athletics Australia.