Hooker has been making a little money

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/ ... 22,00.html

Hooker strengthens his grip
Article from: Font size:DecreaseIncreaseEmail article:EmailPrint article:PrintSubmit comment:Submit comment
Scott Gullan
February 20, 2009 12:00am
A PSYCHOLOGICAL stranglehold and a bulging hip pocket are what pole vault star Steve Hooker will bring home from his whirlwind world tour.

The Olympic champion made it five victories from five competitions yesterday when he won at the GE Galan meeting in Stockholm with a clearance of 5.86m at his third attempt.

Hooker has maintained an extraordinary dominance over his rivals during his record-breaking trip, in which he competed in four countries over three weeks.

The Melburnian is now the second-best vaulter in history after Sergey Bubka - his 6.06m leap in Boston secured that ranking - and a star attraction on the international athletics circuit.

That has already begun to translate into a much healthier bank balance.

Hooker is likely to have pocketed almost $100,000 for his three-week blitz, taking into account significant appearance fees, bonuses for 6m-plus performances and winner's cheques.

While the financial rewards are satisfying in the short term, it is the psychological hold he has over his opponents that will reap major long-term benefits at August's world championships in Berlin.

The 26-year-old Perth-based vaulter has been in a world of his own and again yesterday defeated Russia's Yevgeniy Lukyanenko, the silver medallist in Beijing, who was controversially awarded the No. 1 ranking by Track and Field News at the end of last year.

Lukyanenko, who revealed he was suffering from a slight tricep strain, was unsuccessful in three attempts at 5.51m and failed to make a clearance.

The pair will resume hostilities at the Sydney Track Classic on February 28 and at the World Athletics Tour event in Melbourne five days later.

"He (Lukyanenko) didn't have any power off the pole tonight but has guaranteed me that he will be ready and raring to go when he arrives in Sydney," Hooker said.

"I am really stoked to finish the trip with five wins. It is completely unexpected given the interrupted preparation before I left.

"I am looking forward to returning home, having a bit of a rest before getting up for Sydney. I will have about 10 days' rest so I expect to be a new man.

"It would be nice to jump 6m on Australian soil again, so it will be great if the home crowd came out and cheered us on."

Hooker had three unsuccessful attempts at 6m yesterday. Last week he joined Bubka as the only vaulters to clear 6m in three consecutive competitions.

After a number of attempts at Bubka's world record of 6.15m, Hooker is confident it will come sooner rather than later.

Athletics Australia international liaison manager Maurie Plant, who was with Hooker for the US leg of his tour, compared his dominance to that of 400m Olympic champion Cathy Freeman, who won more than 40 races in succession in the lead-up to her gold medal in Sydney.

"Steve is establishing a real mastery of the event and he is gapping himself between the competitors," Plant said.

"I don't think there is any doubt he will get it (the world record) at some stage."

From Landy to the modern era - join Steve Hooker and Asafa Powell at Athletics Australia's John Landy Lunch Club on Tuesday, March 3.

Be entertained and inspired by the stars of world athletics. To book phone (03) 9500 0122.

Tickets to the World Athletics Tour meeting at Olympic Park on March 5 can be bought at www.ticketek.com.au or phone 132 849.