09.11.2009

WAIS honour the latest accolade for Hooker

World champion pole vaulter Steve Hooker has been named the Western Australian Institute of Sport's Athlete of the Year for 2008/09, collecting the award for a second consecutive year in front of 500 guests at the Institute's 25th anniversary dinner at Challenge Stadium.
 
Hooker won the award from two fellow world championship winners, with cyclists Cameron Meyer (points race champion) and Josephine Tomic (omnium champion) named as finalists for the award that has honoured the highest achieving athlete at WAIS each year since the Institute’s inception 25 years ago. The 27-year-old is only the third athlete in WAIS history to win the award in consecutive years.
 
Hooker continued his rise into world sport’s stratosphere in August when he added a world title to the Olympic gold he won in Beijing in 2008. He secured the world title at the world track and field championships in Berlin in dramatic circumstances, jumping just three times in the whole competition as he battled an adductor injury suffered in the lead-up to competition. The adopted Western Australian's emotional reaction following his clearance at 5.90m to clinch first place was one of 2009’s defining moments in sport.
 
Further to world championships gold the pole vault star has won a string of meets around the world in 2009, falling just days short of going a whole year undefeated in the sport. During the run of victories he also became the second highest vaulter of all time when he cleared 6.06m at a meet in Boston in February.
 
The award is the latest in a long line of honours bestowed on the Victorian-born vaulter in 2009 including Athletics Australia's Athlete of the Year, Athletics International's International Athlete of the Year, captaincy of the Australian Flame and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame's Don Award.

In addition, Hooker is one of 12 athletes currently in the running for the 2009 Sports Performer of the Year award, to be decided by public vote.

Cast your vote for Hooker at www.performerawards.com.au and show your support for the Flame today - get voting Australia!