Steve Hooker on how Olympic gold has changed his life

Ever wondered what happens after you win Olympic gold? spikesmag.com caught up with Steve Hooker, the Australian who surprised many be landing the men’s pole vault title in Beijing to find out just how much his world has changed...

If Steve Hooker believed life was never quite going to be the same again in the wake of his Olympic gold medal then his appearance on top Aussie variety show Rove should have left him under no illusions.
It was not the fact the pole vaulter was invited on the show which indicated the seismic change in his life but more the fact that Hollywood superstar Will Ferrell appeared on the show imitating Australia’s latest track and field star complete with curly, ginger wig and trademark head band which perhaps best illustrated the point.
“I couldn’t believe I was being parodied by a guy, who I’ve seen all his movies,” says Hooker to spikesmag.com. “It was surreal.”
The simple fact is in a sports-mad nation such as Australia, and as their sole Olympic track and field gold medalist in Beijing, his life has turned upside down since he wriggled clear at 5.96m to take top spot in the Bird’s Nest Stadium.
Plaudits and adulation have come in equal measure for Hooker and it has taken a little time to adjust.
“I used to be pretty anonymous in Australia but I guess now that is not the case. I think it was a pretty unexpected win and pretty dramatic as I came from behind. People very much enjoyed it and were quite affected by the competition. I’m a pretty distinctive looking guy and it doesn’t matter where I am in Australia people will come up to me in the street and tell me where they were during the competition.”
Hooker spent the seven or eight weeks in the wake of his success living out of a suitcase across Australia. He has not only spent time on national TV shows being parodied by movie icons but he has visited schools to talk about his success, carried out a flurry of media requests and basked in the glow of his triumph.
But has he enjoyed all the attention?
“It’s been good,” he says deliberately. “It’s been fun, I’ve got a lot of support from the people in Australia, they love their sport. I feel like they’ve really got behind me and taken a bit of ownership of my gold medal.”
Not only that but one guy approached Hooker and said his relationship with his girlfriend came to an abrupt end due to his exuberant support of his Olympic gold medal bid.
“He said he was watching my competition on TV and screaming so loudly that his then girlfriend asked him to leave and they broke up,” explains Hooker of the bizarre admission. “All I said was, ‘I hope it was on the rocks?’ He said it was.”
Hooker also plays down the fact he may have been given any extra female attention in the wake of his Beijing success.
“I get a lot of blokes coming up to me in bars saying they love me but not so many young ladies,” Hooker admits with a chuckle. “It’s usually male sports fans coming up to offering to buy me drinks, which I’m not really after.”
Stopped on the street everyday and being recognised is a huge shift in the laid-back Melbournian’s life yet he is determined to treat is as a positive experience.
He refuses to become carried away by his success – his parents Bill and Erica who were both international athletes keep his feet on the ground – and he counts his gold medal success as a blessing.
“I’m trying to be as generous as I can,” Hooker explains. “Representing Australia, a country that is passionate about its sport, you almost have a responsibility and I’m trying my best to do that. I’m trying to do whatever I can to share my experience with everyone else.”
He also admitted over-indulging in the pre-Games celebrations. For eight weeks he did not even break into a jog and has enjoyed good restaurants and good wine, although at least he did not pile on the pounds.
 “I lost about 5kg,” he admits. “I struggle to keep it on and I have to force feed myself during the season to put weight on. I’m in the process of trying to put that on in the gym.”
Yet for all the Perth-based athlete has enjoyed riding the wave of his success – he is relieved to have returned to training and re-focused his attention on the season ahead.
“The last couple of months have been a lot of fun, but because I’ve lead a lifestyle so different to what I’ve been used to it can be quite tiring and quite overwhelming,” he explains. “I’m just enjoying getting back into training and getting back into a regular routine of living in my home [in Perth] rather than a hotel room."