Isi updates ...

[slvr1969]

4.90 - Prague - 26-02-2009
http://www.pragueindoor.cz/results.asp?season=2009&typ=r&event=main-PV-w

"Isinbayeva for once had to settle a notch lower than her expectations in her last indoor meet of the season. The Russian started her campaign only at 4.75m, when the rest of the field had already packed up their gear for the night. She needed a second try at her opening height, and a second at 4.90m as well before the bar was raised to a would-be world record of 5.01m.

Her third attempt was the best, thrilling the 8,452 spectators for a second or two, before the bar went tumbling down.

"I think I was jumping well today," Isinbayeva said," but I didn't have stiff enough poles."

[slvr1969]

Yelena Documentary 1tv 7 March
http://www.1tv.ru/documentary/fi=5868&fd=200903071600

[rainbowgirl28]

Sanya Richrads and Isinbayeva: http://twitpic.com/7l43w

[BruceFlorman]

Although presented in quotes, the headline doesn’t appear to match what Isi actually said. Nevertheless, here’s something that appeared on the Спорт-Экспресс website the day before yesterday.

Yelena Isinbaeva: “Running naked in Paris is much easier than breaking the world record”

In an interview with a correspondent from "SE" the world record holder in the women’s pole vault expressed her doubts about the expediency of innovations in the rules of light-athletics competitions.

- At the June team championships of Europe new rules in the jumping, running and throwing disciplines were tested. How do you feel about the experiment?

- According to many specialists – coaches and athletes, the competition did not become more dynamic, beautiful or emotional. I agree with this view. Watching the starts in Portugal was quite confusing: Who is winning; who is losing; in what place is an athlete; how many more attempts does he have – all of this, even for professionals it was very difficult to understand! To say nothing of ordinary fans, for whom the scoreboards at the stadium were powerless to help orient in what was happening. In a word, it was a mess.

- Maybe it doesn’t hurt to evaluate changes in the rules which thus far no one intends to extend to the Olympic games, or personal world and continental championships?

- In my opinion, all competitions should be held under a single set of rules, simple and understandable to the spectators and athletes. These alone. Second, with specific regard to the pole vault, I really don’t like the frivolous conversation revolving about the rules in our sport, which began with the presentation of the French jumper Romain Mesnil and several other athletes from different countries.

- What did Mesnil and his supporters propose?

- To again increase the time for an attempt from one minute to two, to extend the pegs which hold up the bar from 55 millimeters to 75 and to permit resetting the bar by hand during the jump. In other words, to go back. Precisely to what the IAAF left at the beginning of this century.

- Maybe it will speed up the event?

- I don’t think so. On the contrary, the IAAF, by altering the existing rules of competition, is trying to make our sport more dynamic, beautiful, entertaining, and increase the opportunity to produce high results. The time per attempt, by the way, has been reduced largely due to television, so that pole vault competition broadcasts don’t become dimensionless. Reducing the length of the pegs for me, as for the vast majority of jumpers, generally didn’t matter – it’s equal for everyone. And the size of the pegs in no way affects the fundamental principles of pole vaulting or prevents the athletes from achieving good results, and is certainly no reason for the speculative talk about "resetting" world records, which, unfortunately, is also going on. With regard to the prohibition on holding the bar by hand so that it doesn’t fall, this makes the competition more fair; to say nothing of the beneficial effects of this rule on the aesthetics of the vault.

- Do you believe that Mesnil is a serious person to whom the IAAF may listen?

- At first glance the Frenchman himself seems to be a serious person – he sits on the IAAF Athletes Commission. I’m also a member of this commission, but I don’t understand and don’t endorse his behavior. Changing the rules in athletics is a complex and lengthy process. It is much harder than to run naked through Paris trying to attract the attention of sponsors. I don’t see how Romain Mesnil can represent the interests of athletes in the IAAF and protect their rights after such an amoral act. And it’s not worthwhile for him to be so worked up about the rules of pole vaulting when his provocative statements upset athletes and fans of athletics. That much I know for sure.

Yuri Yuris
Donetsk

[golfdane]

Although presented in quotes, the headline doesn’t appear to match what Isi actually said. Nevertheless, here’s something that appeared on the Спорт-Экспресс website the day before yesterday.

Yelena Isinbaeva: “Running naked in Paris is much easier than breaking the world record”

In an interview with a correspondent from "SE" the world record holder in the women’s pole vault expressed her doubts about the expediency of innovations in the rules of light-athletics competitions.

- At the June team championships of Europe new rules in the jumping, running and throwing disciplines were tested. How do you feel about the experiment?

- According to many specialists – coaches and athletes, the competition did not become more dynamic, beautiful or emotional. I agree with this view. Watching the starts in Portugal was quite confusing: Who is winning; who is losing; in what place is an athlete; how many more attempts does he have – all of this, even for professionals it was very difficult to understand! To say nothing of ordinary fans, for whom the scoreboards at the stadium were powerless to help orient in what was happening. In a word, it was a mess.

- Maybe it doesn’t hurt to evaluate changes in the rules which thus far no one intends to extend to the Olympic games, or personal world and continental championships?

- In my opinion, all competitions should be held under a single set of rules, simple and understandable to the spectators and athletes. These alone. Second, with specific regard to the pole vault, I really don’t like the frivolous conversation revolving about the rules in our sport, which began with the presentation of the French jumper Romain Mesnil and several other athletes from different countries.

- What did Mesnil and his supporters propose?

- To again increase the time for an attempt from one minute to two, to extend the pegs which hold up the bar from 55 millimeters to 75 and to permit resetting the bar by hand during the jump. In other words, to go back. Precisely to what the IAAF left at the beginning of this century.

- Maybe it will speed up the event?

- I don’t think so. On the contrary, the IAAF, by altering the existing rules of competition, is trying to make our sport more dynamic, beautiful, entertaining, and increase the opportunity to produce high results. The time per attempt, by the way, has been reduced largely due to television, so that pole vault competition broadcasts don’t become dimensionless. Reducing the length of the pegs for me, as for the vast majority of jumpers, generally didn’t matter – it’s equal for everyone. And the size of the pegs in no way affects the fundamental principles of pole vaulting or prevents the athletes from achieving good results, and is certainly no reason for the speculative talk about "resetting" world records, which, unfortunately, is also going on. With regard to the prohibition on holding the bar by hand so that it doesn’t fall, this makes the competition more fair; to say nothing of the beneficial effects of this rule on the aesthetics of the vault.

- Do you believe that Mesnil is a serious person to whom the IAAF may listen?

- At first glance the Frenchman himself seems to be a serious person – he sits on the IAAF Athletes Commission. I’m also a member of this commission, but I don’t understand and don’t endorse his behavior. Changing the rules in athletics is a complex and lengthy process. It is much harder than to run naked through Paris trying to attract the attention of sponsors. I don’t see how Romain Mesnil can represent the interests of athletes in the IAAF and protect their rights after such an amoral act. And it’s not worthwhile for him to be so worked up about the rules of pole vaulting when his provocative statements upset athletes and fans of athletics. That much I know for sure.

Yuri Yuris
Donetsk

Agree with pretty much everything she says (although she's a bit harsh on Mesnil). The rule changes used int the the European Team Championships are confusing, and adds NOTHING to the competition nor the enjoyment of the spectators. Athletics is NOT chess. It's about Citius, Altius, Fortius...... End of story.....

[King]

Isinbayeva strives for perfection
Thu Jul 16, 2009 By Brian Pinelli / Special to Universal Sports


Ever since Yelena Isinbayeva set her first world record in the women’s pole vault back in July 2003, about a month after her 21st birthday, the Russian sensation has been one of the world’s most dominant female athletes. Amazingly, that same season was the last time that the two-time Olympic gold medalist was defeated at a major international competition. Isinbayeva settled for bronze at her first world championships that summer in Paris losing to fellow Russian, Svetlana Feofanova.

As the AF Golden League continues this Friday night with the Meeting AREVA at the Stade de France in Paris, Isinbayeva appears to be on course for her 4th consecutive win in the elite series of meets this season and 17th dating back to 2004. In 2007, Isinbayeva shared the Million Dollar Jackpot, awarded to any athlete who can win their event at all six Golden League meets, with American 400 meter runner, Sanya Richards.

“Usually I am very good about getting myself together when it counts the most,” said Isinbayeva during a recent interview in Oslo, Norway. “Of course it was a nice feeling to win all Golden League competitions (in 2007) and take part of the Jackpot.”

Entering Friday's competition, Richards and Isinbayeva share all three Golden League victories along with Jamaica’s Kerron Stewart in the 100 meters and Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele in the 5000 meters. Both are scheduled to run Friday, with Bekele changing to the 3000 meters against 5000 meter world champion Bernard Lagat of the United States.

The 27-year-old Russian pole-vaulter has gotten to know her amicable rival Richards well over the past few years.

“Of course we talk to each other. She’s very friendly and her mother is also,” said Isinbayeva about Richards. “All the time they wish me good luck and I do the same to them. I like Sanya as a person and as an athlete. She is a very nice friend who I wish all the best in the future.”

Isinbayeva holds the top two vaults in the world this year, having jumped 4.83m/15-feet-10 ¼ inches in Berlin in June and 4.85m/15-feet-11 inches last Friday in Rome. Her toughest competition Friday might come from Brazil’s Fabiana Murer who has gone 4.82m/15-feet-9 ¾ inches this season or Poland’s Monika Pyrek whose best is 4.78m/15-feet-8 ¼ inches.

Two years ago during the quest for her first Golden League Jackpot, Isinbayeva vaulted a meet record of 4.91m/16-feet-1 ¼ inches in Paris. She easily defeated her nearest competitors Pyrek and fellow Russian Svetlana Feofanova by more than seven inches.

“First I’d like to win the meet and then if the conditions are right, I would like to jump a little bit higher than 4.91 (meters),” said Isinbayeva about expectations on Friday.

Isinbayeva has broken indoor and outdoor world records 26 times. She has won gold at the past two Olympics and her world record from Beijing last summer currently stands at 5.05m/16-feet-6 ¾ inches. At the World Championships in Berlin this August, Isinbayeva will seek her third consecutive outdoor title.

Pyrek, a three-time Olympian, has been in Isinbayeva’s shadow for years.

“We are friends, but sometimes I get frustrated that she is always winning,” said Pyrek who jumped the same height as Isinbayeva at the Bislett Games in Oslo but finished second based upon misses at the preceding height. “She is really strong mentally. For example she starts with 4.71 in bad conditions (in Oslo) then there is a 40-minute delay. She comes back and jumps 4.71 without any problem.”

Richards has also looked tough to beat in three successive Golden League 400m wins this season. Richards has run 5 of the world’s 6 fastest times this season in the 400m with her 49.23 in Oslo being the leading time. She also showed consistency in Berlin and Rome, going 49.57 and 49.46 respectively. No other runner has broken 50 seconds this year. Her toughest competition should come from Jamaica’s Novlene Williams who has posted a season best of 50.21.

Like Pyrek, the Austin, Texas native also has the utmost respect for her Russian colleague.

“I really, really, really admire Yelena Isinbayeva,” said Richards of the Russian superstar. “If I could be any other athlete in the world, it would be Yelena Isinbayeva. I definitely love her and have seen her grow so much even with her language. I remember when she couldn’t speak any English and now she’s asking me ‘where are you going for lunch, do you want to join me.’ “

“A two-time Olympic champion, a three-time World champion, 26 times a World record holder, I mean, who’s not inspired by her,” said Richards, who after having previously shared the Golden League jackpot with Isinbayeva in 2007, wouldn’t mind an exact repeat this year. “So I definitely watch and cheer her on and would love to share the jackpot with her for the final time.”

In 2007, both Richards and Isinbayeva finished strong at the final three Golden League meets in Zurich, Brussels and Berlin. Richards increased her world leading time in each of the three meets without a serious challenge.

Isinbayeva needed all three attempts at 4.80m/15-feet-9 inches to win in Zurich, but then captured the final two meets in Brussels and Berlin with relative ease. She jumped 4.82m/15-feet-9 ¾ inches in Berlin setting a new meet record en route to sealing her share of the Million Dollar Jackpot.

“I was confident that if I would break or equal my season best (4.91m in Paris) then I would win (the Golden League Jackpot),” said Isinbayeva following the 2007 victory in Berlin. “Today the focus was more on the world record. I never felt the pressure to win before but today was hard to cope with.”

Richards is a five-time national champion and twice has earned a share of the Golden League Jackpot (2006 & 2007), but unlike Isinbayeva has never won gold at an Olympics or world championships in an individual event. The 24-year-old also failed to qualify for the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan.

“I feel really good this season,” said Richards. “I think I was running with a lot of baggage after not winning my major titles. I think it kept getting worse mentally, but I’ve put it all behind me now and I’m having fun running my best races.”

As Richards and Isinbayeva both seem confident that they will continue their Golden League hot streak on Friday, don’t look past Jamaica’s Stewart or Ethiopia’s Bekele. Both have also looked more than respectable in their three wins this season.

Isinbayeva’s global appeal appears to be unmatched by her rivals. Horse breeder Bruce Stirling of New Zealand recently named one of his fillies ‘Isinbayeva. Stirling was inspired after watching the Russian's 2008 Beijing Olympic performance. In June, the three-year-old won her first race at New Zealand’s Addington racetrack.

“Yesterday, I read about it on the internet - I guess he knows that if he names this horse ‘Isinbayeva’ it for sure will win,” she said, joking. “I am happy that the horse is also a winner. Who knows, perhaps I will put some of my money on her next race.”

Source

[dj]

hye

looks like they just finished the PV in Paris.. cut short maybe because of rain.. Isi 4.65 win

dj

[BruceFlorman]

A major overhaul of Isi's website (http://www.yelenaisinbaeva.com/) came online today.

[slvr1969]

Thank you Bruce. It looks nice!
Yelena's Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yelena-Isinbaeva/117165652368?ref=mf
Yelena's Twitter
http://twitter.com/yelenaisinbaeva

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.yelenaisinbaeva.com/en/news/ ... going-well

Berlin World Championships preparation going well
03 Aug 2009
Hello friends, just a note to tell you that I am currently in Formia, Italy preparing for the forthcoming World Championships. The training is going well and I’m working very hard to be in the best shape in preparation for Berlin. I am focused and in confident mood leading up to the event. Look forward to seeing you all soon. Thanks, Yelena

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.yelenaisinbaeva.com/en/news/ ... s-positive

Yelena remains positive
29 Jul 2009
Yelena takes time out to reflect on the forthcoming World Championship Qualifications in Berlin and the disappointment of the London Super GP:

In general how you are feeling & how do you feel going into Berlin World Championships?
In general I feel good. I feel quite confident in myself and my abilities going into Berlin WCH next month. Although I hate to lose any competition, I try to see the positive side and think it was useful to lose in London, because before I never thought that it could happen. And I was maybe a little bit too relaxed that evening in London. I only thought that if I focused on winning the competition without extra effort, then it could happen. I found out this is not possible. So this loss really makes me down and I don’t want to feel this way again.

How is your preparation for the championships now compared to previous years (Osaka in 2007 or Helsinki in 2005)?
I have the same preparation for Berlin like I had before for Osaka. Nothing special.

Overall with this season – how do you feel about it so far this summer season?
Generally I start my summer season earlier. That has been my usual routine. This season that has been delayed somewhat, so I do not have full preparation and base training now that I have had in previous seasons. Therefore my pole vaulting has been a little inconsistent so far this summer season. Now I have a little over two weeks to work very hard and to be in the best shape in Berlin! I have had a chance to review what went wrong for me this past weekend and my mistakes in London and now I am prepared to look forward. Now everything is okay!!!

[decanuck]

- Do you believe that Mesnil is a serious person to whom the IAAF may listen?

- At first glance the Frenchman himself seems to be a serious person – he sits on the IAAF Athletes Commission. I’m also a member of this commission, but I don’t understand and don’t endorse his behavior. Changing the rules in athletics is a complex and lengthy process. It is much harder than to run naked through Paris trying to attract the attention of sponsors. I don’t see how Romain Mesnil can represent the interests of athletes in the IAAF and protect their rights after such an amoral act. And it’s not worthwhile for him to be so worked up about the rules of pole vaulting when his provocative statements upset athletes and fans of athletics. That much I know for sure.

Yuri Yuris
Donetsk

Apparently Isinbayeva is about as prudish about nudity as us westerners. While I agree with most of what she said about Mesnil's views, it certainly doesn't help to personally attack him or condemn, as amoral, his rather innovative ploy to attract a sponsor. Not everyone can be the richest woman in athletics with a fat contract from Li-Ning.