Isi updates ...

[BruceFlorman]

So now, after reading the little article in SS, I’m asking myself: is it completely coincidental, or have I accidentally gone from translating the Russian sports news to indirectly influencing it?”

I was out of town for a couple of days, but evidently Isi issued a denial of her own on Sunday...

Yelena Isinbaeva: I don’t intend to leave pole vaulting for the decathlon

Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbaeva recounted, from where came the conversations regarding the possibility of leaving pole vaulting for the decathlon if this form became an Olympic discipline. Yelena supposes that she could successfully compete in the decathlon, but doesn’t intend to do it.

“I’ve heard talk about the possible replacement of the heptathlon by the decathlon in the program of official tournaments,” said Yelena Isinbaeva. “And, perhaps, I will agree with the opinion that pole vaulters are the most versatile and best developed athletes in all forms of light athletics. I think that I could show pretty good results in the decathlon – not only in the pole vault, but also in the sprint disciplines (100 m and 100 m hurdles), and in the jumps (long and high). The weak forms in my performance would for sure be the middle distance run (1500 m) and especially the throws (javelin, discus, and also the shot put), the complex technical forms, which require long special training. But all my discussion is pure theory. Indeed I have no intension of changing my specialization,” reports "Vyes Sport", the agency of sport information.

Isinbaeva noted that the conversations about her possible transition were connected with the fact that in this year, for the second time in a row, she did not receive the "Sport Oscar" – the Laureus World Sports Awards, which was given to Croatian skier Janica Kostelic.

“The subject of my possible transition from pole vaulting to the decathlon was opened after I posed a rhetorical question: what more do I have to do in order to receive the Laureus World Sports Awards as the year’s best sportswoman in the world, if it is not enough to win the Olympic Games with a world record (as I did in 2004) and to overcome the bar at the height of 5 meters (in 2005),” explained Isinbaeva. “Then I was answered with the joke: maybe win more than one gold medal at the 2008 games, and for this try your strength in the decathlon. However the problem with that is that even if the decathlon replaced the heptathlon and I decided to try my strength, it’s hardly possible to contend for more than one medal at the official tournaments. In the timetable of competitions to separate pole vaulting and decathlon so that the athlete would be able to recover and appear in both disciplines is practically impossible.”

Clearly I am the guilty party with respect to starting this story, but at least she’s clear that I was joking. I guess I should have inserted a smilie for the benefit of others who might read it.

Edited to restore the text lost due to the old server's improper handling of non-ANSI text.

[rainbowgirl28]

Well, at least SHE knew you were joking

[BruceFlorman]

Here’s a short video of an interview with Isi in English from Friday (e.g. before the competition) in Paris. http://www.eurosport.com/athletics/mc_vid27821.shtml

[rainbowgirl28]

Here’s a short video of an interview with Isi in English from Friday (e.g. before the competition) in Paris. http://www.eurosport.com/athletics/mc_vid27821.shtml

First time I have seen video of her speaking in English! She speaks it very well and did a good job in the interview. Too bad their microphones totally sucked.

[BruceFlorman]

Dang! I was afraid this was gonna happen...

Dibaba vaults over Isinbayeva in the latest IAAF World Rankings
Tuesday 18 July 2006
Monte-Carlo - After 97 weeks ranked as the best female athlete in the world, Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva has been replaced at the top of the Overall Rankings by Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia. Isinbayeva’s streak at the top was the longest ever by any woman since the introduction of the IAAF World Rankings in 2001. Dibaba’s rise to the top came as a result of her winning the 5000m at the Roma Golden Gala with 14:52.37 (1372 points) and Yelena Isinbayeva dropping points from last season.

Due to the 365-day-rule, the World Pole Vault record holder’s score from the Madrid meeting 2005 which she won with a then World record (4.95m – 1432 points) is now out of date. Her winning performance in Lausanne last week (4.90m – 1395 points), was not quite enough to stop the Ethiopian from becoming only the second African woman ever to lead the Overall Rankings.

more...

Women's Overall Ranking
17 July 2006 (10 July 2006)

Code: Select all

Pl.(Pl.) Athlete           Birth Nat  Score Event(s)
1. (2.)  Tirunesh DIBABA    85   ETH  1441  5000m,10 000m [XC]
2. (1.)  Yelena ISINBAYEVA  82   RUS  1437  Pole Vault [PV in.]
3. (3.)  Meseret DEFAR      83   ETH  1421  5000m [3000m ind.]
4. (4.)  Lashinda DEMUS     83   USA  1412  400mH   
5. (5.)  Sanya RICHARDS     85   USA  1408  400m   
6. (6.)  Veronica CAMPBELL  82   JAM  1398  100m,200m   
7. (17.) Michelle PERRY     79   USA  1397  100mH   
8. (7.)  Carolina KLÃœFT     83   SWE  1389  Heptathlon   
9. (8.)  Christine ARRON    73   FRA  1387  100m,200m   
10.(9.)  Kajsa BERGQVIST    76   SWE  1385  High Jump [HJ in.]

[BruceFlorman]

Apparently Rodion Gataullin, the second member of the six meter club after Bubka, and now the chief pole vault trainer of Russia, expressed his opinion of Isi’s progress the other day.

What to expect from Isinbaeva
Eurosport - 18/07/2006 22:35

Rodion Gataullin considers that new world records from Yelena Isinbaeva should not be expected before next year.

In the opinion of Rodion Gataullin, “No one can now evaluate the situation with Yelena Isinbaeva objectively. I personally spoke with her current trainer Vitaly Petrov, and I know what he specifically wants to change in Lena’s jumps. I agree with him entirely and I even see the proceeding changes. But this type of reconstruction of her technique requires serious work and time! If it works out for them, then possibly as soon as next year, we will see Lena jumping at the level of 5.10. But for now I am personally happy if she simply wins competitions.”

According to Gataullin, he has not been able to follow the progress of Svetlana Feofanova, Isinbaeva’s chief competitor in recent years. “Technically now she jumps considerably better than 2-3 ago. If [the current situation] represents a chance, Sveta won’t miss it,” emphasized the sport director of the IAAF international light-athletics center in Sochi, the Olympic silver medalist and the world champion pole vaulter.

At her last start in Lausanne Isinbaeva won with a result of 4.90.

Based on materials from the agency "Vyes Sport".

I dunno. I sure don’t think she’s gonna come up with eight or nine records like the last couple of years, but I thought her shots at 5.02 in Lausanne looked good enough to make me think she’s got one or two in her this season. She’s obviously not as mechanically perfect at the top of her jumps as she was at this time last year. But of course it was staring into the breech of another year of the same ol’ same old, further honing that perfection, that made her say “screw this, I’m goin’ to Italy!”

[BruceFlorman]

This ain't exactly earthshaking stuff, but somebody posted a 12-second (slow-mo) video on YouTube from one of Yelena Isinbaeva's indoor training sessions - walking on her hands and doing push-ups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYFRLovltCM

Also, as long as I'm bumping this thread ...

I'd originally started putting all these little Isi-bits into one thread because these sorts of things never generated a whole lot of conversation, so having dozens of separate threads with no replies just seemed kind of messy, but since she opened her outdoor season, I've gotten out of the habit and posted the various interview translations in their own threads. They're still not generating a whole lot of banter though, so I'm thinking that maybe I ought to go back to posting most of them here. There may even be some benefit beyond 'tidiness' from providing 'one stop shopping for all your Isi-related info needs'.

So ... in case there are any one stop shoppers reading this now ... here are links to the various Isi-bits I've posted in separate threads over the last month:

Isinbayeva’s Debut

Isinbaeva interview after Paris

Isinbayeva flops (DN Galan Articles)

Isinbaeva interview after Stockholm

Isinbaeva interview after London

[AVC Coach]

I'm always interested in what Isi's doing! I'm a huge fan!

I do wish she would have stuck with her original coach. It's hard to understand how she could go out and break numerous world records and enjoy the amount of success that she did with her old coach, then all of the sudden.....BOOM, I'm upgrading to a more high-tech model. There's a lot to be said for the chemistry between an athlete and their coach. I hope she can make it work!

[rainbowgirl28]

There's a lot to be said for the chemistry between an athlete and their coach.

She and her old coach lost that chemistry toward the end of last year. They were fighting a lot and it was obvious to everyone else that there were problems.

[BruceFlorman]

From the EAA news section:
http://eaa2.exigo.ch/index.php?option=c ... &Itemid=78

Bubka’s coach fine tunes Isinbayeva’s technique
12 August 2006

"If it isn't broken, don't try to fix it" is an expression known in practically every language. It certainly seems to apply to Yelena Isinbayeva, if viewed at the end of her 2005 season.

At the time, the Russian pole vaulter had amassed 18 world records in the short period of only 25 months. She would add a 19th during the winter 2006 season. Conventional wisdom suggests that there could not have been too many defects in her approach to the event as she had already sailed to titles at the Olympics, the world indoor and world outdoor championships. At 23, her resumé had most of the requisite major slots filled, with the single exception of the European Athletics Championships which lay one year ahead.

Then last November, for reasons which still remain murky, Isinbayeva decided to separate from her long-time coach, Yevgeniy Trofimov. Taking over the responsibility of guiding her training was none other than the vaulting guru who had guided Sergey Bubka through the early, pioneering stages of his career, Vitaliy Petrov.

Petrov is in Göteborg officially as part of the Italian contingent, as he holds a position with that country's federation and works at the training centre in Formia with the former men's world champion Giuseppe Gibilisco, among others. But Isinbayeva is also a frequent visitor to the seaside compound south of Rome as Petrov seeks to push his Russian charge to even higher heights.

That Petrov is still held in high esteem was evident on Thursday at Ullevi Stadium, as he was continually surrounded by coaching brethren from Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Germany while observing the men's qualifying round. When that session had ended, he could once again think about the female vaulters, whose final competition is scheduled for this afternoon.

"When I first started to work with Yelena, I felt that she should change her run-up," the 61-year-old coach said. "I could see that she had a lot of reserve that had not been tapped. Also, I could see possible improvements that could be made in her take-off, although this was not so important because she already had a good take-off due to her gymnastic background. So, it is really in the run-up that I feel she can really make a big change."

As to the specific changes he would make in Isinbayeva's approach, Petrov continued, "Her [overall] runway speed is not of major concern, but rather the mechanics of her forward movement. She's a fast girl, but she's not using her speed well with her short steps."

Petrov believes she can generate greater speed in the final six steps of the run, which embodies much of the success or failure of an attempt.

"In time, I would like to add two steps to her run - from the present 16 to an eventual 18 - which I hope we can accomplish by next year. I want her to be running faster during her final six steps before taking off. With 16 steps, she has to begin much faster to achieve the same speed at the end. With 18, she can distribute her strength on the runway more gradually, and have a more fluid run. This will help her move to heavier poles and to grip higher."

But adjusting fundamental body mechanics such as running poses a big challenge. "This is not an easy thing to change, because it means altering the natural running movement. I think that if we can accomplish everything I wish to, she can jump 5.15m or 5.20m."

Just as he was with Bubka, Petrov is a patient advisor, not one seeking instant gratification, as he tries to further polish an already sparkling jewel.

"It is the connection between these two fundamental parts of the vault - the approach and the take-off - which needs to be changed and smoothed during the next two years before the Olympic Games. That is the time frame I am looking at."

By Ed Gordon

[BruceFlorman]

Yelena ISINBAEVA: "BAD WEATHER HINDERED ESTABLISHING A WORLD RECORD"

Saturday in Sweden Yelena Isinbaeva, the world record-holder in the pole vault, won the highest European title for the first time. The Russian woman’s result proved to be more than ordinary – 4.80. Three attempts at establishing a new world record – 5.02 – lead to nothing.

- Well now your collection of the highest rewards is complete – indeed only the gold of the continental championship was missing. Please accept the congratulations of "SE". And tell us; what is the difference between Yelena Isinbaeva-2002, who became the vice-champion of Europe in Munich, and Yelena-2006?

- Now I smile more. Well to be serious... Oh, it’s not finished, indeed after this victory I won’t be going to sleep all night. I will party until morning! Alright, to focus... What’s the difference? In 2002 second place in Munich was a great success for me, but here, in Göteborg, it would have been not just a failure, but a tragedy.

- How will you remember this championship?

- That Russia has such an outstanding team here. It was very pleasant to appear together with such remarkable folk.

- What was the most difficult moment in the competition?

- It was necessary to wait a very long time for my turn. But as I waited, the weather deteriorated, which made it difficult when I began to jump. Nevertheless everything ended well.

- You could not improve the world record...

- If I’d been able to do that, everything would be simply perfect.

- Did you really want to establish a world record or was this just kind of a show?

- I really wanted to establish a world record. In reality I very rarely do something only for the spectators. I believe that if there’s a chance to try to jump higher than before, then this chance must be used. But the weather clearly did not contribute to this.

Nevertheless the main thing was to win, not to set records. Therefore I’m not at all upset. I’ll try to establish a record in my subsequent competitions.

- Did you expect sharper competition from Svetlana Feofanova?

- The Russian team is very strong now. I’m talking about the entire team and not just the pole vaulters. Nearly every Russian sportswoman who came to Göteborg wanted to win and had chances to do it. I came to Sweden seeking only victory. Therefore I didn’t think about my rivals. The most important thing for me was to concentrate on my own jumps.

- But suppose Anna Rogowska, the injured Polish vaulter who was unable to appear in Göteborg, had been in the sector?

- You think that this would change something?! Hardly. I made four jumps before the victory. I would jump just the same in the presence Rogowska.

- You’re mistaken – the heights 4.70 and 4.80 were taken on the second attempt.

- Yes? I forgot. Well so what? All the same I didn’t make too many jumps!

- But why didn’t you succeed in taking these heights on the first attempt? There was no stimulus?

- Stimulus wasn’t the issue. In the first place, the runway in Göteborg is very fast. In the second place, the weather. Therefore it was necessary to change poles earlier and to take those that are suitable for the surface and for the very moist, rainy weather. That’s all.

- At what height do you grip the pole?

- Now I have 445 cm poles, and I hold them at the very top.

- What has happened in your life since the World Championships in Moscow?

- I rested, took a trip home. Worked on my apartment in Volgograd.

- It’s not finished?

- No, because many things can’t be done without me, and I want to inspect the process myself. For example, installing the entrance door. Which, by the way, I haven’t even bought yet!

- Perhaps you can ask your parents to do this?

- I want everything to be done just so, how I like it. I haven’t yet found the door that appeals to me. I want to make it in the Japanese style.

- You make repairs in Volgograd, but you live in Formia.

- I don’t live in the Italian city; I’m there on a mission. I simply went there to work.

- Do you train every day?

- I have some days off. But not every week. When I’m off, then I go to the sauna, to the massage.

- What are the basic differences between the training conditions in Formia and Volgograd?

- In Volgograd people came to watch my training for the competitions, but usually in Formia there is no one.

- Perhaps it’s unpleasant when you’re being watched?

- It’s alright when your form is good. But people get terribly irritated when anything doesn’t come out. I’d even say – angry.

- In Formia, probably it’s boring?

- Why so? Very often athletes on the Italian team come, and also from other countries, primarily South American, Argentina, Brazil, Chile.

- I know in Formia there are many tennis courts. You don’t try to play?

- For me nothing comes out – the ball constantly flies the wrong way.

- Your parents don’t visit you in Italy?

- No, they feel it’s not necessary.

- And to your competitions abroad?

- That I don’t want. It would make me very nervous on the eve of my appearances.

- Are you used to the Italian food?

- I like it an awful lot.

- But in the entire Italian kitchen there are no such soups as in Russia.

- Those I eat, when I come to Volgograd. And then, if I really want it, the Italian cooks in Formia prepare genuine chicken bouillon for me. Rich, everything like it must be.

- And borsch or cabbage soup?

- So far I haven’t asked for them.

- You don’t prepare yourself?

- There’s not sufficient time.

- My associate from Milan La Gazetta dello Sport, Andrea Bondgiovanni, asserts that you already speak wonderfully in Italian. And how would you estimate your knowledge?

- The second grade. But it’s okay.

Edited to restore the text lost due to the old server's improper handling of non-ANSI text.

[BruceFlorman]

Here's another interview from Goteborg, this one from SovSport.ru. Like the other one from Sport-Express, it's written as though it had been an "exclusive", but I think it's not.

14 August 2006, №121-M (17 008)
European Champion Yelena Isinbaeva: Talk about your rivals? I don’t see them...

A successful takeoff on the first attempt at the height of 4.60. Then four additional jumps expended in order to climb 20 cm higher. And this would be sufficient for the Olympic and three-time World Champion Yelena Isinbaeva to win the gold in the summer championship of Europe for the first time in her career.

- Lena, wasn’t this victory given to you too easily?

- On one hand I guess it actually looked like an easy outing. But in reality it wasn’t so simple. First of all, due to the weather conditions, because it rained hard before the competition began. Only when the helicopters drove away the clouds did it settle down a little. But nevertheless it was very chilly. While waiting for my first entry into the sector, which was very tedious by the way, it was even necessary to limber up for a second time so my muscles wouldn’t get cold.

- After winning with a result of 4.80, you set the bar to the height of a new world record at 5.02. Was this just for the delight of the spectators or were you actually prepared to take it?

- No, this wasn’t just a show. I was actually ready to attack this height and even think I would have overcome it, if not for the rain. It’s not in my rules to stop halfway to the intended target and this gold medal was only part of my plan for these championships. I wanted to reinforce my world record.

I’ve already taught the spectators long ago that if I come into the sector and win the competition, then I am obligated to attempt setting new world record. They expect this from me, and I have never yet deviated. Whether I succeed in taking the record height or not – this is another question. The main thing is that I constantly strive for this.

Thank you to the fans in Göteborg, who strongly supported me during my attempts at 5.02. The weather, unfortunately, thwarted our hopes. Nevertheless there are still enough competitions in the schedule that I set for myself this year to achieve it.

- Do your plans include the World Cup, which will take place in Athens this September?

- No, I won’t be appearing in the Cup, but you will see me in the IAAF Finale Grand-Prix in Stuttgart.

DEFEAT IN STOCKHOLM – A FREAK EVENT

- Less than a month ago in the Grand-Prix in Stockholm you lost, unexpectedly for many, on count back at the height of 4.62 to the Polish woman Monica Pyrek. Was it important for you to take revenge on her here?

- Absolutely not, since for about the last three years already I’ve competed only against myself and don’t keep track of my rivals. To be honest, now and then I don’t even know the results of those I’m competing against. How these girls are doing this season, what personal records they’ve established, how close their results are to mine – this is unimportant to me. The main thing is to beat myself. Had Anna Rogowska, who missed these championships due to injury, but who some say is better, been together with Pyrek on the Polish team, I am sure nothing would have changed.

And about that defeat in Stockholm you mentioned, in my view it was a freak event. A crazy high head wind and nothing more, since you’ll agree that 4.62 isn’t a result which can beat me. In Stockholm I lost, first of all, to myself.

- At this competition in order to make 4.80, the bridgehead for your attack on the world record, to you required three attempts...

- Was it three? Didn’t I really use just two attempts? Honestly speaking, I don’t remember. [She really took 4.80 on her second attempt –BF] I needed to change poles. When I jumped 4.80, my trainer said that everything was going according to plan. After that I asked to raise the bar to the level of a new world record

- By the way, about your trainers. I understand that this question is not the most pleasant for you. But all the same. Not so long ago you parted with Yevgeny Trofimov, with whom you were together for more than ten years, and now you work with Vitaly Petrov, former trainer of the legendary Sergey Bubka. Has something in your preparation changed from this?

- And perhaps you didn’t notice? Look at my takeoff, on which eighty percent of a successful jump depends. Entirely different bearing, arms are straightened, not how it was earlier... I am also improving my push-off technique. It’s not yet all together in the manner that we’d like, but this is just a matter of time...

- Your bearing is actually royal, but you’ll agree that your jumps today are still a long way from the grand master five-meter boundary?

- Let’s have a talk on this theme at the end of the season.

- Four years ago at the previous European Championship you occupied second place behind Svetlana Feofanova and, as I recall, were not especially happy about this circumstance at the press conference. How different was Yelena Isinbaeva in 2002 from yourself in the present?

- Quite a bit, since any medal at this championship other than gold would have been a tragedy for me.

- How did your life go after your victory in the winter world championships in Moscow?

- For a week I dropped in at home in Volgograd. I continued to fix up my apartment. Sometimes I don’t even believe it will ever be finished. But then I flew away to Formia, the small Italian city where I now stay to be with my trainer Vitaly Afanasevich Petrov.

I WILL SHARE THE AUTHOR'S WORK

- Do you rent an apartment there?

- No. I stay at the sports base in a separate house for VIP people. There are tables for table tennis, courts, and free pools at the base. On the weekends I try to use all this. But the workdays are strictly arranged for me – breakfast, training, dinner, sleep and again training....

- But what do you do in the evenings? You don’t by chance simply embroider?

- Don’t be surprised, but I actually do embroider. True, I still haven’t actually finished any. If it interests someone, I can present an unfinished author's work.

What else? I read a lot. At the moment, for example, Pikulya. I’m slowly mastering the Italian language. I’m already beginning to understand it, but so far I speak at about "level two".

- After this championship will you fly away to Italy together with your trainer?

- Temporarily. During September I’ll arrive for rest in Russia. First home – to visit my parents, my dear kitty Dashka, and then I’ll rush off somewhere to the south

- Have your parents already been your guests in Italy?

- There is no need. They only came to the World Championships Moscow. There’s the telephone, the Internet, so the connection between us is constant.

- Lena, and how do you evaluate the performance of your friends on the team in Göteborg – Svetlana Feofanova and Tatiana Polnova?

- I’m happy for Tatiana. She deserved this medal. But concerning Feofanova’s fourth place – no comment.

Edited to restore the text lost due to the old server's improper handling of non-ANSI text.