Steve Hooker, Austrailia's red headed wonder

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Steve Hooker is our red-headed wonder
Ron Reed From: Herald Sun March 03, 2010 12:00AM

CATHY Freeman had it, in abundance. It's called star quality.

And not since the champion sprinter was in her prime has Australian track and field been able to boast an athlete with as much to offer on and off the track as pole vaulter Steve Hooker has.

Consider the package.

He's a big, powerful man whose curly red hair gives him a striking, instantly recognisable appearance.

He performs a discipline that is spectacular to watch and difficult and dangerous to do.

He's the best there is at it - the national, Commonwealth, Olympic and world champion, and aiming to add the indoor world title soon.

And he has a personality and easy manner to match, as he confirmed at a promotional lunch in Melbourne yesterday, where his humour, dedication and sense of leadership made him a big hit.

With his glamorous Russian girlfriend Katya Kostetskaya, an athlete of distinction at 800m herself, at his side, Hooker, 27, looked exactly what he is - a young sports star at the peak of his powers and with an unlimited future stretching ahead.

You'd think this would automatically translate into big business at the box office and generate massive media exposure when he comes to town - especially his own old home town - to compete.

But even though Australia is now ranked 10th in the world in the most senior Olympic sport - a stat that is based on our performance at last year's world titles and would surprise most sports fans - tomorrow night's Melbourne Track Classic will struggle to pull a crowd worthy of the considerable talent on show.

Hooker, Melbourne-raised and Perth-based, tops the bill, and he says he is in shape to clear the 6m barrier, which sorts the great from the good.

His best is 6.06, not all that distant from the legendary Sergey Bubka's all-time mark of 6.14, which Hooker has vowed to clear before he is much older.

He probably will, too. It's a matter of when.

When he puts his mind to it - as he so famously did at last year's world championships, when he won with a single jump while nursing a serious injury - he usually delivers.

"That's why we call him The Mailman," team guru Maurie Plant said.



So brave and inspirational was that performance that it earned him the Sport Australia Hall of Fame's The Don Award, which recognises qualities beyond performance, for the second year running.

It also explains why he has been installed as captain of the Flame, as the Australian athletics team is now known. It's a responsibility he takes extremely seriously.

"It's good getting an opportunity to be a role model," he said. "Whenever I can I try to set a good example to kids and represent my country with pride. I enjoy that.

"It's difficult to get track and field athletes to engage with each other. They think focusing on themselves is how they'll get the best out of themselves.

"But I believe if you're among friends and people who are supportive you'll get better results. Everyone will benefit and we'll be stronger as a team."

No wonder he found himself seated beside AA president Rob Fildes.

"He's our best asset - a great image for our sport," Fildes said.



Melbourne sports fans should do themselves a favour and go check out why.

reedr@heraldsun.com.au