Brian Hooper

Brian Hooper
Personal information
Full nameBrian Roger Leslie Hooper
NicknameHooperman
NationalityBritish
Born (1953-05-18) 18 May 1953 (age 71)
Sheerwater, Woking, Surrey, England
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight159 lb (72 kg)
Sport
Country United Kingdom
SportAthletics
EventPole Vault
ClubWoking Athletics Club
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals1976, 1980
National finals1980
Personal bestPole Vault: 5.59m (1980,NR)
Medal record
Men's Athletics
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 1974 Christchurch Pole Vault
Bronze medal – third place 1978 Edmonton Pole Vault

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

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 for the England team in Christchurch, New Zealand and the 1978 Commonwealth Games, representing England in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.[4][5][6][7][8] In 1986 he represented England for the third time at a Commonwealth Games, at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland.[9][10]

He won the 1980 Men's AAA / UK Championships pole vault title,[11] setting his personal best height of 5.59m in the same year,[12] which was then the United Kingdom Men's Pole Vault record.[13]

Hooper also held the United Kingdom Masters (Veterans) Pole Vault best performance record, with a leap of 5.01 metres in 1994.[14] He is the current holder of the over-40s age group pole vault record.[15]

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.[16] 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.[17]

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 disoriented 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.[18] In the 1970s he was an athletics coach at George Abbot School[citation needed]. He is separated and has one daughter, Tilly, who is also a pole vaulter[19] who has competed in competitions including winning gold at the 2018 BUCS indoor national championships.[20]

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

  1. ^ a b "Brian Hooper Bio, Stats, and Results". Sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Hall of fame - Woking Borough Council". Woking.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 15 April 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  3. ^ "Brian Hooper". Bbc.co.uk. 30 September 2003.
  4. ^ "British Medallists in Commonwealth Games". Gbrathletics.com. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  5. ^ "1974 Games". Team England.
  6. ^ "Athletes, 1974 England team". Team England.
  7. ^ "1978 Athletes". Team England.
  8. ^ "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 14 October 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  9. ^ "1986 Athletes". Team England.
  10. ^ "England team in 1986". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  11. ^ "Mens AAA / UK / British Championships". Sportsrecords.co.uk. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  12. ^ "World men's all-time best pole vault / Alla tiders bästa stavhopp, män". Hem.bredband.net. 9 August 2001. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  13. ^ "Daytona Beach Morning Journal - Google News Archive Search". News.google.com. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  14. ^ "UK Masters (Veterans) Best Performances". Gbrathletics.com. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  15. ^ "UK Masters Age Group Field Records". Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 2011-09-28.
  16. ^ "Superstars results". Bbc.co.uk. 20 November 2003.
  17. ^ "Hooperman's back at 50". Getsurrey.co.uk. 7 November 2003. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  18. ^ "World Class Fitness Trainers - Adventure Boot Camp". Fitnesscamp.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  19. ^ "Tilly's a chip off the starting block". Thisissurreytoday.co.uk. 26 June 2012. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  20. ^ "Student athletes shine at BUCS Indoor Championships - Athletics Weekly". Athletics Weekly. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.