http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/more- ... 6494980060
Steve Hooker set to look abroad after splitting with coach
Steve Hooker has split with long-time coach Alex Parnov and could move to the US. Source: AFP
STEVE Hooker's competitive future is in limbo after the pole vault champion split from coach Alex Parnov with intentions to move to the US.
The split was a mutual decision that both Parnov and Hooker agreed with.
Hooker recently married Russian partner Katya Kostetskaya in a Melbourne ceremony and the vaulter organised a meeting last month with Athletics Australia's high performance manager Eric Hollingsworth and WA Institute of Sport coaching group manager Simon Jones to advise them of his intentions.
It is understood Hooker's plans include a year's sabbatical travelling between the US and the UK, allowing him to train alongside close friends Brad Walker and Steven Lewis, but is more tapered towards a reduced training load, allowing him to focus more time and attention on his personal life.
Hollingsworth, Jones, Parnov and Hooker will meet in Perth again tomorrow to work out the finer details of the arrangement, including if - and how - the former Olympic champion is supported by the Australian bodies.
It is believed Hooker will largely base himself in Phoenix, Arizona, adding weight to a link with renowned US coach Dan Pfaff, who has spread his talents across both track and field, helping guide Canadian sprinter Donovan Bailey to 100m Olympic gold in 1996 and, this year, Lewis to the UK's best result of fifth in an Olympic pole vault final.
The 30-year-old's decision is understood to have been impacted by a lack of training partners to help push his performance, with the vaulter peerless in Australia since the retirement of West Australian Paul Burgess, who worked in tandem with Hooker to at one stage have the pair sitting one-and-two in the world.
Hooker is expected to leave Australia next month, with the intention of competing a scattering of US meets over the next 12 months, while leaving the door open for a possible return for some domestic competitions.
He will meet again with Parnov in six months to review his decision and further assess his future.
Hooker's move ends one of the most successful teamings in Australian track and field history, with Parnov guiding his now-former charge to history's second-highest leaper, with a personal best of 6.06m.
He at one stage appeared unassailable and simultaneously held every major title on offer Olympic, Commonwealth, world indoor, world outdoor and continental before a dramatic fall from grace that began last year, when he failed to clear a height in his world championship defence and again stumbled at this year's London Games.
Parnov stressed the break was amicable and the door was always open for Hooker's return, but that the move was best for both parties.
"He would like to take one year as his year and to pay a bit more attention to family, travel more, look after Katya and just to do some training in the US and UK with his friends," Parnov said. "He needs to experience what he wants to and he has my blessings.
"We separated on really good terms; I appreciate everything we've done together and it's probably time for him to move on.
"I wouldn't say I was sad; there was only one thing we didn't achieve and that was the world record, but the way things are going now with everything going through his mind, I feel we are slipping from this target.
"We'll see what happens, maybe he can find extra fuel and opportunity."
Both Athletics Australia and WAIS were supportive of Hooker's decision when contacted by The Sunday Times, with Jones saying the financial assistance provided by the state body would hinge on the details worked out in tomorrow's meeting.
"We'll still support Steve going forward, we just need to work out the details of what that means," Jones said.
"We try to support athletes in their home environment ... (but) if he's away, there's really a limited amount of support we could provide anyway.
"We do support individual athletes one of the BMX guys lived in America and they can apply for individual support on a needs basis, but like I said, we haven't really worked out the details yet."
Hollingsworth said the move would not affect Hooker's ability to compete for Australia.
"I have no problem with it, I'm very supportive," Hollingsworth said. "He's a big boy now and if he feels that's going to assist him in continuing his pole vault, then Athletics Australia is 100 per cent behind him."