Aussie Olympic royalty visit Warrnambool, discuss life after sport

Hooker, who was at Warrnambool Golf Club on Friday, May 3 alongside fellow Aussie Olympic gold medallists Lydia Lassila (aerial skiing) and Kerri Pottharst (beach volleyball) as part of a Commonwealth Bank and VISA business event panel, clinched gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

No Australian field athlete has stood on the top step in the three Olympics since but the 41-year-old, who will commentate in Paris, believes this year's crop is poised to contend.

"This is where we're looking great, we've got a world champion going in, Nina Kennedy in the pole vault," he told The Standard.

"World indoor Champion Nicola Olyslagers in the high jump, Matt Denny, in the discuss, just threw a national record at the national championships and he's ready to step up, so I expect to see him on the podium and really pushing for that gold as well.

"We've got great athletes to watch and follow in the field events across the jumps and the throws so it's really exciting, super exciting to go over there and be a part of it and follow the stories of those Australian athletes in particular."

Hooker, who retired from pole vault in 2014 and now has his own development consulting business, said he would love to call an Australian field athlete winning gold.

The Melbourne-based businessman recalled his one previous visit to Warrnambool for the May Racing Carnival.

"I did one of those fly in from Melbourne on the day and then flew back to Melbourne (the same day) and the flight home was one of the more terrifying experiences in my life," he said with a laugh.

"Windy, rainy day, maybe with some lightning around on a small plane. Memorable. But I enjoyed the Warrnambool Cup, it was a great day."

Lassila, a gold medallist at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, was thrilled to be back in Warrnambool.

The 42-year-old owns a sustainable yoga and wellness brand called Zone by Lydia and an ice and heat compression company called BodyICE Recovery.

She has connections to the area through her brother Daniel Ierodiaconou - an associate professor in marine science at Deakin University.

"It's lovely to catch up with them (family) but also just be in this beautiful space sharing small business and sport parallels which go hand-in-hand," she said.

"I live in Lorne normally when I'm not living in Finland so I feel like I'm coming home and having that connection to this beautiful place.

"Obviously family's really important to me, so it's just nice to be back. I try to get back once or twice a year."

Outside of her businesses, Lassila is still involved with skiing after retiring in 2018.

She commentates winter sports and mentors athletes, particularly on their mindsets.

Her two son's Kai and Alec are also talented skiiers.

"Kai's really good he's just about to turn 13, he's a really, really promising little skiier and Alec is very talented as well," she said.

"Look I just try to keep them active, I think being active is really, really important for a lot of reasons so I don't really mind what they do as long as they get out there and have a go at something."

Pottharst, similar to Hooker, had been to Warrnambool once previously.

The 58-year-old, who won beach volleyball gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, visited the town when she was 17 for the annual seaside volleyball tournament.

"I don't remember much I just remember thinking 'wow Warrnambool, I can't wait'," she recalled.

Pottharst will also be heading to the Paris Olympics this year where she is looking forward to commentating the beach volleyball action.

Since retiring in 2006 she has been successful as a commentator, speaker, emcee and also wrote a book called The Business of being an athlete.

"Basically I try and do everything I can to not have to get a job and work for somebody else," she said.

Pottharst believes Australia's women have a good chance of winning a medal in the beach volleyball in Paris.

"I think we've got a pretty good medal chance, our girls won a silver at the last Olympics three years ago so I think there's a good chance that they could do that again and hopefully finish in the medals," she said.

"It's going to be tough though, there's some really, really good teams."