Steven Hooker clears 5.95m to win the IAAF / VTB Bank Continental Cup in Split (© Getty Images)
His international season ‘bookended’ by a World Indoor Championships gold medal and a win at the IAAF / VTB Bank Continental Cup, Samsung Diamond League Ambassador Steve Hooker now looks forward to pulling on an Australian singlet for his last two competitions of 2010.
“If I could change a few things in the middle of the year I probably would, but the start of the international year and the finish I wouldn’t.
“If I’d been told at the start of the year I was going to jump 6.01 at the indoors and 5.95 (world outdoor lead) at the Continental Cup, I would have taken those results.
“Overall I’m happy with the way the year has gone. It’s satisfying to be able to come back from the results I had been having and work my way back to a bit of form. It’s not an easy thing to do during the season and I’m happy I’ve been able to and get back to win a competition where I was representing my area.
“Being part of a team (Asia-Pacific) made a difference. There’s more at stake than just competing for yourself. You want to make your contribution.
“The competition in Split was awesome. We stayed at a hotel on the beach, the weather was fantastic, and the facilities, track and crowd were really good.
“It’s definitely one of the better athletics crowds I’ve ever competed in front of. They cheered for every event and every competitor, but they really cheered for Blanka (Vlasic). It was spectacular to see her compete in front of her home crowd.
“I’ve had an up-and-down time in the Samsung Diamond League, but I felt like Brussels was a breakthrough in terms of how I was approaching competitions. I didn’t get the best result, but I definitely felt I approached that competition better than competitions in the month leading into it.
“I tried to carry that feeling and momentum into the Continental Cup and there was a chance I could jump something higher. I was still in the competition in Brussels at the winning height. Obviously, I didn’t jump it, but I was still in the meet at that point and that was a good feeling.
“I just wanted to go to the Continental Cup and stay in the competition as long as I could.
“Now I’ve got just two more competitions, the England-Australia Test match (in the Great North City Games in Newcastle/Gateshead on 17-18 September) and the Commonwealth Games.
“I’m looking forward to Newcastle. I like the idea of street athletics; it’s a good opportunity to get involved with that.
“The majority of our Commonwealth Games team will get together for the first time at the Test. It will be great to catch up with my teammates.
“For me, the timing of the Commonwealth Games is good, even if most athletes are winding down at that time of the year. I wasn’t really happy about how long the season was, but it meant I had something to build towards the end of it. I think that’s been really good because a lot of athletes struggle to maintain form and focus at the end of a season, especially if they’ve had their major championship. The goal of Commonwealth Games has kept me focused on what I’ve got to do and keen to do the work at training.
“The Games are a great competition. I watched them when I was growing up and now I’m competing in them myself. What people might say before the event is one thing, but once you get to a Commonwealth Games it’s got a fantastic vibe, it’s definitely one of the ‘funnest’ events to compete at and very satisfying to win.
“It will be the first time I’ve been to India. It’s definitely going to be a competition that has its challenges and I’ll be expecting that, but I’m looking forward to going there and making the most of it.
Steve
“If I could change a few things in the middle of the year I probably would, but the start of the international year and the finish I wouldn’t.
“If I’d been told at the start of the year I was going to jump 6.01 at the indoors and 5.95 (world outdoor lead) at the Continental Cup, I would have taken those results.
“Overall I’m happy with the way the year has gone. It’s satisfying to be able to come back from the results I had been having and work my way back to a bit of form. It’s not an easy thing to do during the season and I’m happy I’ve been able to and get back to win a competition where I was representing my area.
“Being part of a team (Asia-Pacific) made a difference. There’s more at stake than just competing for yourself. You want to make your contribution.
“The competition in Split was awesome. We stayed at a hotel on the beach, the weather was fantastic, and the facilities, track and crowd were really good.
“It’s definitely one of the better athletics crowds I’ve ever competed in front of. They cheered for every event and every competitor, but they really cheered for Blanka (Vlasic). It was spectacular to see her compete in front of her home crowd.
“I’ve had an up-and-down time in the Samsung Diamond League, but I felt like Brussels was a breakthrough in terms of how I was approaching competitions. I didn’t get the best result, but I definitely felt I approached that competition better than competitions in the month leading into it.
“I tried to carry that feeling and momentum into the Continental Cup and there was a chance I could jump something higher. I was still in the competition in Brussels at the winning height. Obviously, I didn’t jump it, but I was still in the meet at that point and that was a good feeling.
“I just wanted to go to the Continental Cup and stay in the competition as long as I could.
“Now I’ve got just two more competitions, the England-Australia Test match (in the Great North City Games in Newcastle/Gateshead on 17-18 September) and the Commonwealth Games.
“I’m looking forward to Newcastle. I like the idea of street athletics; it’s a good opportunity to get involved with that.
“The majority of our Commonwealth Games team will get together for the first time at the Test. It will be great to catch up with my teammates.
“For me, the timing of the Commonwealth Games is good, even if most athletes are winding down at that time of the year. I wasn’t really happy about how long the season was, but it meant I had something to build towards the end of it. I think that’s been really good because a lot of athletes struggle to maintain form and focus at the end of a season, especially if they’ve had their major championship. The goal of Commonwealth Games has kept me focused on what I’ve got to do and keen to do the work at training.
“The Games are a great competition. I watched them when I was growing up and now I’m competing in them myself. What people might say before the event is one thing, but once you get to a Commonwealth Games it’s got a fantastic vibe, it’s definitely one of the ‘funnest’ events to compete at and very satisfying to win.
“It will be the first time I’ve been to India. It’s definitely going to be a competition that has its challenges and I’ll be expecting that, but I’m looking forward to going there and making the most of it.
Steve