Steve Hooker, Olympic pole vault champion (© Getty Images)
Australia’s Olympic Pole Vault champion Steve Hooker, along with fellow Beijing medallists Jenn Stuczynski (USA) and Nick Willis (NZL) will be among the headliners at the 2009 Reebok Boston Indoor Games on 7 February 2009.
Hooker was victorious in one of the most exciting contests of the 2008 Olympics, winning the men’s Pole Vault on his third and last attempt at 5.90m after repeatedly bouncing back from the brink of elimination at each of his heights. After securing the gold medal, the Australian with another third time clearance this time at 5.96m went on to break Tim Mack’s Olympic record (5.95), which the American had set four years earlier in Athens.
The 26-year-old Australian, who took the World Indoor bronze medal in Valencia last winter, has an outdoor best of 6.00m (2008). Hooker holds the indoor area record at 5.81 which he set when winning in Boston two seasons ago, a height which is surely due for revision.
Stuczynski, won the Olympic silver medal in the women’s Pole Vault, matching the medal she took at World Indoor Championships in Valencia. The outdoor American record holder with a leap of 4.92 (2008), which makes her the second highest performer of all-time, Stuczynski set her indoor best in Valencia with a vault of 4.75m. She is also the defending Reebok Boston Indoor Games champion.
Willis became the first New Zealand track athlete in 32 years to bring home an Olympic medal when he won bronze at 1500m in Beijing. The 2006 Commonwealth Games champion and national record holder at 1500m, Willis also broke the New Zealand indoor mark and NCAA record for 3000m here in 2004 while competing for the University of Michigan.
Meet organisers for IAAF
