Damien's Story
Damien Hooper won silver at the 2010 Youth World Championships in Baku after a series of solid victories saw him reach the final before going down 6:1 on a points decision against Ireland's Joseph Ward. After taking out the Oceania Championships earlier that year, Hooper became the first indigenous Australian to win a junior world event when he took out the 2010 Youth Olympic Games U/75kg gold medal in Singapore.
He moved up to the U/81kg division and won the 2011 Australian senior title before going on to take out the 2011 Gee-Bee Tournament in Helsinki, Finland. He became the first Australian to qualify for the London Olympics after making the quarterfinals of the U/81kg division at the 2011 World Championships in Baku. He subsequently did not have to fight through the Australian and Oceania Championships to gain selection for the team.
In London, Hooper defeated America’s Marcus Browne in the first round of 32 before the light-heavyweight went down 19-11 to Russian Mekhontcev in the round of 16. At the end of his Olympic campaign, Hooper announced his intention to turn pro.
