Parnov says it's just a matter of time til Hooker breaks WR

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http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx? ... tID=129567

It’s just a matter of time
12th March 2009, 7:15 WST
Olympic pole vault champion Steven Hooker will rewrite the world record — it’s just a matter of time.
WA Institute of Sport coach Alex Parnov, who has guided the careers of Australia’s most successful pole vaulters, including former world champion Dmitri Markov and world record holder Emma George, believes Hooker will replace Sergey Bubka at the top of the world pole.

The Ukrainian, who has held the world record of 6.15m for the past 16 years, has not had his record seriously challenged until recently when Hooker had a series of near misses in the US and Europe.

“I’m sure it will happen. I don’t know how long it will take, but I have been excited to see all parts of Steve’s jump come together this year,” Parnov said.

The 26-year-old WAIS scholarship holder has notched seven consecutive wins in the US, Europe and Australia this year, including three straight wins over 6m, a feat achieved by only one other pole vaulter, Bubka.

In Boston last month, Hooker became the second best jumper of all time when he cleared 6.06m before the first of many close attempts at 6.16m.

“The biggest achievement has not been how close he has come to the world record but the fact that he is not afraid of the (world record) height any more,” Parnov said.

Hooker has not decided whether he will compete in this weekend’s State championships at Perry Lakes against a field which is expected to include training partner Paul Burgess and 2004 Olympic gold medallist Tim Mack, of the US. He has had a hectic start to the year and will be in action at the nationals in Brisbane next week as he prepares for this year’s world championships, to be held in Berlin in August.

Parnov said Hooker’s success in the US was not a complete surprise because many of the technical changes which they had been working on since 2007 finally came together.

“Three years ago when we started working on all the components of his technique we knew everything (in his technique) would be new and unstable and that was the reason why he had so many ups and downs in 2007,” the master coach said.

“But it was a decision we needed to make to help him in the long term.”

Parnov, who has also been the driving force behind Burgess’ success in winning two Commonwealth Games silver medals and his Australian allcomers record of 6m, said the 29-year-old has had a difficult past 12 months trying to overcome an Achilles injury and more recently severe hand cuts.

“Paul is looking positive towards the world championships and we have enough time to take the necessary steps,” Parnov said.