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One of the stars of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Steve Hooker became the first Australian field athlete to win Olympic gold in 60 years and the first Australian athletics Olympic champion since Cathy Freeman in 2000. Hooker's win in Beijing was also the first for an Australian in that event.
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 secure, he went on to break the Olympic record with another third and final heart-stopping attempt at 5.96m.
Hooker continued his phenomenal run in 2009 by claiming gold in the Men's pole vault at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin. That win was even more significant considering Hooker had courageously battled injury right up until he leapt for gold, after tearing his thigh muscle in training 12 days prior to the final.
It was that same year which saw Hooker record his biggest ever jump in a competition in Boston clearing 6.06m.
In 2010, Hooker continued his dominance of the sport with victory in the three major meets of the season: the World Indoor Championships, IAAF Continental Cup and the Commonwealth Games.
In 2012, Steve Hooker qualified for his third Olympic Games - a magnificent achievement given the World and Olympic champion had battled injuries and confidence issues through the preceding seasons. Whilst he wasn't able to repeat his Beijing heroics, there was a good deal of personal satisfaction in the result for the tough road he had travelled to get there.
Hooker's star has continued to rise since his retirement from competitive sport. He is the founding Director of athletics management firm, Aurum Sports Group, and he is the CEO of Resimax Group in Melbourne.
Steve Hooker is a brilliant speaker. His life story is one of inspiration, and his confident, humorous delivery is always well received by audiences. He was such a phenomenally successful athlete in his sport, and for a period of time, almost unbeatable, securing every major international athletics title.
Hooker is a highly regarded media commentator, having served as the Track and Field specialist for multiple networks.
He is a revered athlete within the broader sporting fraternity. In 2009 he won 'The Don' award at the Australian Sports Awards, and in 2012 he was elected as a member of the AOC Athlete's Commission.
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