Brian Hooper

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Brian Hooper
Personal information
Full name Brian Roger Leslie Hooper
Nickname(s) Hooperman
Nationality British
Born (1953-05-18) 18 May 1953 (age 71)
Sheerwater, Woking, Surrey, England
Residence Guildford, Surrey
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 159 lb (72 kg)
Website fitnesscamp.co.uk/about/world-class-mentors#brian-hooper
Sport
Country  United Kingdom
Sport Athletics
Event(s) Pole Vault
Club Woking Athletics Club
Achievements and titles
National finals 1980
Olympic finals 1976, 1980
Personal best(s) Pole Vault: 5.59m (1980,NR)

Brian Roger Leslie Hooper (born 18 May 1953)[1] in Sheerwater, Woking, Surrey[2] is a former British Olympic pole vaulter,[3] athletics coach and winner of the 1982 World Superstars Championship.[4]

Athletics

Hooper was the UK's top pole vaulter from 1974 to 1980, competing in two Olympic Games, two European Athletics Championships and winning the bronze medal at both the 1974 and 1978 Commonwealth Games representing England.[5]

He won the 1980 Men's AAA / UK Championships pole vault title,[6] setting his personal best height of 5.59m in the same year,[7] which was then the United Kingdom Men's Pole Vault record.[8]

Hooper also held the United Kingdom Masters (Veterans) Pole Vault best performance record, with a leap of 5.01 metres in 1994.[9] He is the current holder of the over-40s age group pole vault record.[10]

Superstars

Hooper is the second most successful Superstars competitor ever, winning six titles, including becoming the only European to win the World Championship in 1982. He was only defeated in two events (his 1982 and 2004 UK heats), and is the only man to have won three International Superstars titles. Only three times World Superstars Champion Brian Budd managed to remain undefeated in all contests.

In 2004 (aged 50) he participated in the UK Championship again, and performed well finishing a very creditable fourth in his heat, winning the kayaking event, and finishing runner-up in the golf.[11] During the 2004 event he was at least 15 years older than all of the other competitors, competed with a torn pectoral muscle and was included in the event as a replacement at only seven day's notice![12]

Hooper also regularly competed in the Superteams version of the contest, representing "the Athletes", who were undefeated from 1979 to 1984. In 1979 he famously struggled to get on a balance beam during the obstacle course – almost costing his team the event – while disorientated after completing the sit-ups part of the race. In the years later, Hooper became one of the top British competitors in the obstacle course, regularly leaping the high wall in one stride.

Superstars record

Year Event Position
1982 British Heat 2 3rd
1982 British Final 1st
1982 International 1st
1982 World Final 1st
1983 British Final 1st
1983 International 1st
1984 International 1st
2004 British Heat 4 4th

Personal life

Hooper currently lives in Guildford, Surrey and is a personal fitness coach.[13] He is separated and has one daughter, Tilly, who is also a pole vaulter.[14]

Achievements

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  United Kingdom
1976 Olympic Games Montreal, Canada 16th Pole Vault 5.10m
1980 Olympic Games Moscow, Soviet Union 11th Pole Vault 5.35 m
Representing  England
1974 Commonwealth Games Christchurch, New Zealand 3rd Pole Vault 5.00m
1978 Commonwealth Games Edmonton, Canada 3rd Pole Vault 5.00m

References