Yelena Isinbaeva: “The impossible is possible!” At the end of December it’s expected to sum up the year, telling of its heroes and noteworthy events. As such, it would not do to go without an interview with the double Olympic champion, multiple (and most importantly - current) world record holder for the women’s pole vault and possibly the most famous Rossiyanka on the planet! The special correspondent for "SE" met with Yelena Isinbaeva on her “home field”, in Monte Carlo, on the eve of the gala evening arranged by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). On this evening she was recognized as the best female athlete of 2008. Found a surprise!
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- You’ve come a long way from the invisible girl on the Volgograd streetcar to the double Olympic champion, who comes to meet with journalists in Monte Carlo, one can say, on foot - in the sense that this is very close to your home. Do you yourself realize that from Cinderella you’ve became a princess? - In the end, probably not. I still feel like a normal girl from the Volgograd streetcar, who simply had to switch to a car, since travel by streetcar has become rather difficult. It seems to me that I’ve not changed on the inside, but people’s attitude towards me changed, you know what I’m saying? Yes, the circle of people who I hang out with is different, but I still try to keep my feet on the ground and maintain contact with everyone I hung out with in the past.
- That is, for example, with your classmates? - Ohhh, very little. I must confess, I don’t especially communicate with them. Because of the sport, of course. So I haven’t preserved any strong school friendships.
- Here, incidentally, is a related question. Real friendships between people are usually formed in school or university. Because of the sport, you, in essence, were deprived of both. With whom are you friends? - Basically this is just the nature of the sports environment. Marina Kuptsova, who you certainly know, the former high jumper, is a friend. We’ve been friends since 1998. Marina is the type of person who will never disappoint you and will always help. I have many friends, and I will, no doubt, acquire more in the future. But Marina is a friend for life.
- Please describe for our un-envious readers, what it’s like to reside in Monte Carlo? - (Laughing loudly) It’s very nice. Here I can calmly stroll the streets, and yet still associate with people who are out of reach for others. Yes even with Prince Albert! He is an absolutely normal person, albeit very important and influential. My resident card allows me to stay in the Schengen countries indefinitely. There are no problems with visas. It’s a trifle, of course, but it’s nice. Yes, all in all, life is totally different from ours in Russia. Almost never is anything excessive, everything is watched by cameras – every building is guarded 24 hours a day. On the other hand, it’s a bit dull, especially in winter. There are few people on the streets; everything is closed; everything “dies”.
- You’ve lived a long time in Monte Carlo? - Since 2005.
- In general, many believe that you live in Italy… - This isn’t so. I work in Formia. I spend a month there in winter, and a couple of months in the summer.
- Is living in Monte Carlo expensive? - Somewhat expensive, of course, but if I still haven’t moved out, then I can afford it. But quietly, modestly.
- Do you gamble in the casino? - No-no-no.
- But you’ve been in the Monte Carlo Casino building? - Yes, I once took a guided tour. It’s really beautiful there. Elegant!
- Do you have a favorite place? - I like to visit the area of the embankment. To sit somewhere far from the public beaches. To look at the sea and think about things.
- So, for example, I could meet you at some cafe in the city? - Of course you could! Moreover in any of them. Here the standard of living is so high, that the owners of cafes and restaurants simply can’t cook badly. For them this is a matter of status. If food isn’t palatable, people will choose somewhere else.
- You’re certainly in Monte Carlo during the days when the whole city goes crazy due to "Formula 1"? - Oh, yes! It’s an awesome feeling. Once I was invited to the "Grand Prix" with the Toyota company. I met with the drivers – with the younger Schumacher, with Trulli, with the test driver Ricardo. They showed me the hot-rods
[“болиды” - literally “fireballs” --BF], how all the complex stuff inside works. These machines are not like on TV. I was told that the drivers are losing two to three kilograms during the race. Oh, this is awful!
Ah, yes, I also went to the Toyota box in the starting area, literally five minutes before the start of the race. Smart people warned me: “Lena, put on your headphones, the engines roar will be severe.” I replied that, on the contrary, I wanted to hear it. (Snorting) I heard it all right! I was there in the box – indoors – still the cars were like thunder! My first thought: I’m deaf. I thought I’d burst my eardrums. But the feeling is still good. The roar of the engines penetrates to your heels!
- Have you already formed acquaintances with some of the Monegasque celebrities? - I know the Swedish tennis players Johansson and Björkman. I chat with Dinara Safin. Although she isn’t here often. I’m more in touch with a few
[T&F] athletes. Wilson Kipketer also lives here. Skier Anja Persson. I can’t call all of them friends, but we sometimes intersect and chat.
- You converse in different languages, and live, in fact, in several countries. How do you perceive yourself, as a citizen of the world? - I myself don’t really know. The experience is somewhat strange, to be honest. I’m pulled by Russia, but if I stay long, it becomes a bit boring. Like recently, I was at home for almost two months. Like all of the people of my homeland, something was still missing. I’m still drawn there, but it was quite a different life, different people, different relationships between them. Perhaps, in the process of self-identification, I got stuck somewhere in between: I am undoubtedly Russian, but here in Monaco, I am also starting to become comfortable.
- You now live a life where every hour of the day is scheduled in a literal sense. How is this? - You exaggerate a bit. In fact, I have no free time only on the days when major competitions are held, or there is some commercial project or activity, such as this gala evening. But during the normal process of training, everything is much easier. A morning workout, then an afternoon nap, then an evening training session, and that’s it. A very simple routine.
- How do you intend to live when all of this – the morning workout, the afternoon nap – are no longer? - I don’t know. This is a very serious problem faced by all athletes. I hope that I'll find an occupation - good people will surely help - which will interest me. After leaving the sport, of course there will be a vacuum in my life that will be difficult to fill.
- You have already decided when you will leave? - In principle, yes. I dream to become a triple Olympic champion in London, to set a further 10-15 world records. Then retire undefeated. And for my world record to last another hundred years! Like Bubka’s record still stands.
- I gather that the organizers of the 2013 World Championships, which will be held in Moscow, would not be against it, if you were to retire immediately after this tournament. - (Smiling) Actually, I’ve already spoken about this subject with the president of our athletics federation, Valentin Balakhnichev. It always comes back to age - I'll no longer be young. If I can still jump high until 2013, it would be an honor for me to conclude my career in Moscow - before the eyes of the Russian public.
- And do you plan to compete this winter? - Yes, I’m already training. I run for half an hour, then stretch, and then run again. Sometimes I go up into the mountains on foot, which can be considered good training.
- Do you know the names of the sportswomen who will succeed you in the women's pole vault? - I can’t give specific names; I haven’t followed the junior competitions closely, because I’ve been too busy myself. But I know that we have an 18-year-old girl who won the Junior World Championships and jumps 4.40.
- What would you like to do after the end of your career? - Initially, I think about a family. I want to get married, and have children, and afterwards devote my life - in one capacity or another – to sport. I can share my experience with young people. I hope my advice will prove useful. I plan to become seriously involved in charity, to support children, to imbue in them a love for sport and to understand that sport today is a worthwhile career, and perhaps the easiest way to make ones name in the world.
On the other hand, I’d like to have a business that will produce an income. I want to give the cinema a shot! I still want to work as a photo-model. I like to experiment and to see myself made up first as a good fairy, then as an insidious beast. See how much everything interests me! In general, so far I’m completely uncertain. Permit me to continue pole vaulting for awhile.
- And what sort of movie roles do you envision? Bond Girls? - Why not? In principle, I like this sort of role, but only if it’s not overdone. When they kill a dozen bad guys with a single bullet, it doesn’t look interesting.
- I keep hearing that you’re starting your own line of perfume. Is this so? - To be honest, it’s still more of a project than a finished business. I have the desire. Now we’re looking for a suitable perfume maker, who will bring the idea to life.
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- Are you already resigned to the fact that life is a zebra? The white stripe is succeeded by black, which is then succeeded by white again. - Of course it’s a zebra. Although I can’t say that there have been any truly black stripes in my life. My life, how would you explain...? It is very cyclic or something. It seems to most that if I’m jumping high, then I have a white stripe. And if I’m not so high it must be black. But this is certainly not the case. In any event, I’m convinced that every trial is a test from above. If a person is able to endure, never giving up, it means success lies ahead. That’s the case with me, anyway.
Perhaps, in an interview this will just sound like protocol, but I want to give a big thanks to our Athletic Federation and its President Valentin Balakhnichev for the great support they’ve given me. Thanks for the help of the Volgograd ШВСМ, the city and regional administrations, the gymnastic clinic of Volgograd. Thank you everyone for the support and for everything you’ve done for me! But I also want to say thank you to America’s Jenny Stuczynski, who also contributed to my “awakening”. Last summer, when all the journalists began writing headlines that the pole vault had a new star - that she, allegedly, would kick some a** - this really got me going.
- It’s considered that the last two years of your career progressed differently than you would have liked. How is it to go through such a period, in fact, before the eyes of the whole world? - From a human standpoint – it’s difficult. Victory with a world record is always expected of me. Everyone believes (I won’t deny, it’s pleasant for me) that I’m invincible; that no person has been born who can jump higher than me. But all this has a flip side. My victories without a world record are not considered victories. When the public starts to praise second place from some unknown girl, I get terribly upset. “She took second place! Well done!” the TV announcers report. “By the way, Isinbaeva won but again failed to set a world record.”
On the other hand, I understand that competition is what people want in sports; that possibly they are tired of watching competitions where I appear, knowing beforehand who will win.
- Do you still get excited prior to your starts? - Yes, of course. In addition to the usual excitement, I have a burning unwillingness to lose. Indeed, any time I’m defeated it becomes a sensation. And I don’t like these sensations.
- So do you think that at any second you could lose? - No. Because in reality, everything depends on me, and I am doing everything possible and impossible to be first. At the commercial competitions anything can happen, since sometimes you have to compete twice in a week. But with regard to the big important tournaments, then I simply cannot allow my rivals to jump higher than me.
- You know, prior to the Olympics in Beijing, Blanca Vlasic was confident of that too. - I am sorry that happened to Blanka. I think she was a bit more confident in herself than necessary. I remember how I set the world record in Gateshead in 2003 and arrived at the World Championships in Paris thinking: “Who are all of you?” I’ve already prepared my neck for the gold medal, but I eventually finished the tournament in third. Probably about the same thing happened to Blanka. When she began to turn every event into a show, this hurt her. It’s great when the audience is sure they can expect a show from you. People want to see this. But you must be absolutely calm inside yourself.
- What did you do after your victory in Beijing? - Two months of rest. I spent a few days meeting with journalists, participated in press conferences and so forth. Then I returned to Russia for two weeks. Then I went on vacation in Egypt, then on to Rimini by water.
- How was your visit to your hometown of Volgograd? - Oh, everyone was so happy! It’s very pleasant, even more so now that I rarely get to Volgograd. I relaxed with my family, spent a lot of time with my parents. I took a trip to my home stadium, and had a talk with the coaches. They said I’ve grown up. That I’ve become more self-confident.
The emotion during these celebrations, to be honest, was less than four years ago. People have become accustomed to my victories. The overall gist of their speeches was like: We knew all along that you’d become a double Olympic champion, but nevertheless, congratulations. (laughing)
- Your father represents a very rare nationality. He’s a Tabasaran. Could you tell more about these people, about their language, which is considered the second most complex in the world? - Unfortunately, I don’t know the language. Dad once taught me a couple of sentences, but I’ve long since forgotten them. These are a very hospitable people. They live in the mountains, in small villages. The main feature of their nature is kindness. Although it’s more accurate to say gentleness. Unlike some other Caucasians, who are militant and ooh so hot-tempered!
- When were you last in these places? - In 2004, after the Olympics in Athens. They arranged a fantastic holiday for me there. I was received by the leadership of Dagestan. We went to the village where my father came from, and all along the roads, children stood with flags. (grin) It felt like I was the President.
- Did they not slaughter a ram for your arrival? - They did! They did! It was awful! I saw – they dragged a little ram from somewhere. And then slit his throat with a knife right in front of me! I cried: Why’d you do that? But they immediately explained that this is traditional when receiving honored guests. They presented a whole wagon of gifts. It was great. The atmosphere of a Caucasian holiday is very different from, say, a Russian holiday.
- Here, in Monaco, on the IAAF gala evening, no one intends to slaughter a ram. - I love to come to the gala evenings, because this is one of the few moments where the athletes can see each other, not in sport clothes, but in beautiful attire. All this fuss, buying dresses – this is very nice, in my opinion. Incidentally, I bought my dress for the evening literally a day ago, here in Monaco. It’s white, with precious stones around the shoulders. Very expensive. (laughing)
- This interview will be released the day before the New Year. Thus we cannot manage without New Year’s questions. What does this holiday mean for you? - This is a family holiday, and I always spend it with my family. This is the night when I think of my most cherished desires.
- Do you believe in Grandfather Frost? - I believe in the fulfillment of dreams.
- You will celebrate this New Year also with your family? - Absolutely. With my parents.
- What would you like to wish our readers? - I want the readers of "Sport-Express, along with all the rest, to believe in themselves. And in the fact that everything will necessarily come true, if we make the effort. I wish good health to all. Remain true to yourself. Don’t make idols. Remember that every person on earth is an individual. Most importantly, don’t be lazy in the New Year, work hard and believe in yourself. The impossible is possible!
Sergey BUTOVMonte Carlo – Moscow
So these articles from AllSport.ru are a couple of weeks old by now...
