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Hooker's high five

Beijing Olympic pole vault gold medalist Steve Hooker has wrapped up his international indoor campaign in the best possible fashion, taking out the GE Galan meeting in Stockholm this morning and securing five wins from as many starts in 2009.

In what is quickly becoming his trademark, Hooker produced another third attempt escape act to take out the competition with a clearance of 5.86m, having sat in third place with two men ahead of him on 5.81m.

Hooker went on to have three attempts at 6.00m but was unsuccessful.

In a high quality competition, Russia’s Pavel Gerasimov produced a new personal best to finish second  at 5.81m and Sweden’s home town favourite Alhaji Jeng recorded a national record to finish third, also at 5.81m.

Beijing Olympic silver medalist Yevgeniy Lukyanenko, who is set to take on Hooker down under over the coming weeks, was unsuccessful in all three attempts at 5.51m and failed to make a clearance.  Fellow Australian Paul Burgess finished seventh, clearing the same height.

Hooker, clearly feeling the effects of his heavy program, was relieved to pull off the win in another tight situation.

“I am really pleased I pulled it all together at 5.86m and had a really good jump.

“I knew that I would either clear it and win, or miss and drop back to third.”

He also revealed that Lukyanenko had suffered a slight strain of his tricep at the Donesk meet and wasn’t quite ready for competition.

“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.”

Producing a remarkable series of competitions, Hooker jumped six metres on three occasions and passed his previous Australian indoor record of 5.81m set in Boston in 2007 in each of his five events.  

Thrilled to cap off his tour with another win, the 26-year-old was surprised at the level of success he has already experienced in 2009.

“I am really stoked to finish the trip with five wins.

“It is completely unexpected given the interrupted preparation before I left,” he said.

Despite the arduous schedule Hooker is confident he will at his best come the Sydney Track Classic on Saturday, 28 February, World Athletics Tour Melbourne on Thursday 5 March and Australian Championships in Brisbane on March 19-21.

“I am looking forward to returning home, having a bit of a rest before getting up for Sydney.

“I will have about ten days rest so I expect to be a new man,” he said.

“It would be nice to jump six metres on Australian soil again so it will be great if the home crowd came out and cheered us on.”