Isi updates ...

[BruceFlorman]

Here's another much longer video of Isi training. I think this was all shot this spring in Monaco (at least the stadium is Monaco). I'm not sure why the audio is so bad - and I don't just mean that the narration is in French. http://www.youtube.com/v/12ntrI9U79s

[BruceFlorman]

Here's yet another Isinterview™ after Göteborg. Again a lot of the material seems like maybe it came from the big group interview in the Mixed Zone there. But there's some other stuff here which sheds some interesting light on her split with Trofimov and departure to Formia. I wish I were better versed in the finer points and terminology of pole vaulting technique. I suspect my translation of her description of the changes she's working on with Petrov would benefit if I really knew what she was talking about.

Yelena Isinbaeva: I no longer dream to establish 35, but 40 world records
One of the heroines of last week’s championship YELENA ISINBAYEVA had a talk with correspondent VALERIA MIRONOVA.
- Have you given up your dream of establishing 35 world records – at least one more than the great Sergey Bubka?
- Not at all. In fact, my dream now stretches further still – I want to establish at least 40 records! And even at least one this year nevertheless, at one of my remaining competitions this season. True, I won’t be going to the World Cup in Athens during September, but naturally I will be competing at the Grand-prix finale in Stuttgart. Watch for me there.
- And Bubka helps you like before?
- He’s my adviser on many vitally important questions. We keep in touch, but I can’t say that it’s frequent. We associate as needed.
- Where do you intend to seek the reserves to further compete against yourself? Indeed you’ve already competed thus for a long time.
- Now, when I’ve already won absolutely all the titles, I don’t jump in order to win anywhere and everywhere at any cost, but simply for the people, for myself, for my parents. Because all look to me for a holiday. I’ve had many friends and acquaintances, and even strangers say things like: “When you appear on the television, we’re simply glad and we watch you almost like a favorite artiste. We watch how you compete and how you jump, as if flying above the bar, and we understand that this is wonderful.” Such words and feelings can’t help but stimulate me. However, talking about all this now, I want you to understand me correctly: on no account do I want to offend my rivals. I just live entirely for this. And I’m ready to jump further and further. And higher and higher.
- According to Vitaly Petrov, you wanted to change some aspects of your technique. What’s been possible to do already, and what still remains to be done?
- The most basic thing that we’ve attempted to change is my posture at the takeoff. And we’ve already changed it. Before I ran with my arms strongly inclined forward, which didn’t make it possible for me correct my "execution", but now I’m running absolutely straight up. But here’s the second problem – my push off – and we continue to work on that. In particular I’m trying to stop turning my foot at that moment. This is a serious technical error.
- Is your work in Italy affected by the absence of the special soft runway, made especially for you in Volgograd, to which you apparently grew accustomed in your long years of training there?
- You see, in Volgograd I was trained on two runways, one of which was actually soft and made it possible to not overload the foot. But the second was rigid. In Formia I have very good training conditions and a good runway of optimum hardness. So it’s no longer necessary for me have a second one for training.
- What’s new and interesting in your life since you became the world champion in Moscow last March?
- I spent a week in Volgograd and at long last almost completed the work on my new apartment. I no longer believe that it will never end. But then I returned to Formia and resumed training. Train, eat, sleep – and then do it all over again. The day of a marmot, on the whole. I now call my stay in Italy nothing other than a mission. Don’t other specialists leave to work abroad? Here so do I. In September I’ll come home for a break. To see my parents, and also my dear kitty. But then I’ll go somewhere to rest. We all fly in our family. In the literal and figurative sense. My sister and her husband are circus aerial acrobats, now working a half year contract in England, and will return home in November. So while the daughters are away, mom and dad rest, get tanned, live for their own pleasure. But they don’t come to visit me in Italy – there’s no need. They only came to the championship in Moscow. But we keep in touch on the telephone and on the Internet. I’m becoming familiar with Italian by the way, already understand everything. But speak at "level two".
- Has your attitude abroad somehow changed?
- I’ve calmed down. At home in Volgograd, I constantly had some kind of problem. First with my apartment, then with my car, then with my parents. There I was under constant watch, as if I was eternally a 15-year-old child. But in Italy I’m on my own, yet I survive and just train. No headaches. By the way, I continue to study in the first course of the master’s degree program at the Volgograd Academy of Physical Culture. But, naturally, according to an individual schedule.
- How does Petrov himself differ from your previous trainer Yevgeny Trofimov?
- He fosters a sense that I’m an independent professional person. I’m quite enthused by my work with him. My work and my life have changed radically by 180 degrees. And the relation between us, two intelligent people, is based exclusively on the "trainer-student" formula. Like all athletes, I used to fret about everything connected with all my starts. But I’ve grown up and begun to understand more about the main thing – for what and whom I do all this. Therefore it’s unnecessary either to scold or coerce me.
- How are your relations with the Russian Federation?
- I feel my relationships with the chief trainer and the President are excellent. I feel no pressure from their side. They require nothing supernatural from me, and on the contrary, ask how they can help. And I in turn clearly carry out my obligations for the Russian team. Yes even Vitaly Afanasevich, although he has long worked in Italy, has warm ties and long-standing relations with the Russian team and all its leaders.
- Does Doping-control harass you?
- When I lived in Volgograd they visited frequently. Now they practically never show up. This season I received not one out-of-competition test.
- How do you explain this exceptional circumstance by today's standards?
- To visit me is a boring drive.
- But such a drive is considerably shorter now?
- Yes, they think it’s alright. So what’s behind it? She’s clean.

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[altius]

I can help translate for you. Some contributors to PVP who remember a sometimes acrimonious debate which took place several months ago, may be interested to learn that Isinbyeva has been learning to run in 'front of herself' with an active claw strike of the feet - while mainitaining an upright body posture. This is the normal Petrov method as evidenced by the drills he uses to develop this in all the vaulters he has coached, including Bubka. In a conversation with him prior to the London Grand Prix in July, he indicated that this was necessary wit Yelena to correct problems caused by too much training on a downhill runway. In his view this change is essential if she is to improve the major weakness in her take off. Comparison between her vaulting this year and previously shows the extent to which she has changed her run up.

No further correspondence will be entered into on this topic - accept this information or not - your choice.

[master]

Nice to hear from you again Altius. I hope it won't be a solo post.

- master

[vaultwest]

Altius
Well said, as always. Athough I have not seen many of Lena's jumps this year, that is what I have noticed in her jumps and I am excited to see if she can make this change to help correct her body position at takeoff.

I also second Master's comments, good to hear from you once again and I hope to see posts from you from time to time.

Vault On

Dan

[BruceFlorman]

Just in case there's somebody out there who doesn't check Isi's website daily (are there really people like that? ) or who didn't go through the 60+ guestbook responses that got posted yesterday, here's a little update to her "known" schedule...

Hi Yelena, i'm from Spain, first of all congratulation for your gold metal in the European Championship. I hope that you come soon to Spain to see you in live, when and where will you go to Spain?

Could you tell me something in Spanish?

Поздравление!

Большой поцелуй к вам от Cadiz, Испании

I will come to Saragozza on the 13th of September to do a small meet for Expo Spain.

I'm sorry I don't know Spanish a part Hola.

YI

I'm guessing this is just an exhibition, since she doesn't have it listed on her competition calendar and I couldn't find anything listed for it at http://www.gbrathletics.com/ia2006.htm.

For them that cares, the Cyrillic text in the first quote says: "Congratulations! A big kiss from Cadiz, Spain"

[BruceFlorman]

Well she may not have broken any world records this weekend in Belgium, but one of Isi's dreams was fulfilled nonetheless.

Swimming with dolphins.

20060826 Brugge, BEL [04].jpg (40.39 KiB) Viewed 5442 times

More photos here, here and here.

Edited to change the links to http://www.tinypic.com, since belgapict seems to have taken them offline.
Edited again to change the image and links, since they've evidently expired or been expunged from Tinypic.

[BruceFlorman]

More updates to Isi's busy schedule for the rest of the month. I'd posted a question on her website asking about the “small meetâ€Â

[BruceFlorman]

Sadly (for me anyway) without the constant sting of records, Isi’s getting noticeably less ink in the Russian press this year. Her exploits in Athens didn’t rate a whole article in “SS”, but here’s the part she did get…

The Japanese hammer thrower Koji Murofushi, who was the first to deposit 9 points (for victory) into his team’s account on Saturday, with Asian respect for the masters, explained the reason for his success. “Athens is a city in which I feel as if at home: I became the Olympic champion here, and at home the walls help, as you know...”

Our Olympic champion Yelena Isinbaeva, after victory in the pole vault sector could repeat these exact words. But, with hands on our hearts we awaited not just a victory from Lena (which no one doubted would happen). Two years ago at this stadium, together with the Olympic gold medal, she presented a world record to her fans. Last Saturday Lena jumped short of her Olympic result by 31 (!) centimeters...

This causes a certain bewilderment in connection with Yelena’s constant statements that she progressively improves her jumping technique (a process which, according to her, is noticeable only to specialists). But on the other hand, from a psychological point of view, Yelena’s present modest results are completely understandable: changing a personal trainer, not to mention a place of residence, doesn’t pass without leaving a trace.

But Yelena’s authority at heights unattainable for her rivals remains as before. The competition among the pole vaulters in Athens ended, as the saying goes, without having had time to begin. Isinbaeva appeared in the sector, when the bar was set at 4,60. By that time seven of her rivals had already packed up their poles: only Fabiana Murer from the Americas team created the appearance of a fight, still active with a jump to 4,55. The Russian, in contrast to the Brazilian, cleared 4,60. Already the winner, she raised bar 20 cm higher, made three unsuccessful attempts and left the sector dissatisfied with herself...

Subsequent reports of how the vault was being run in Athens (i.e. rather poorly) hint that she may have just wanted to get it over with, but I still wish she’d raise the bar by smaller increments. This was the seventh straight time that she’s failed to clear the height after raising it by 20 cents or more. The last time she successfully cleared a big increment was Helsinki last year, when she went straight from 4.70 to 5.01. Since then, the largest increment that she’s successfully taken is 16 cm – just once – in London at the end of July, when she went from 4.75 to 4.91.

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[BruceFlorman]

I haven't been able to find a full rundown of the results, but evidently Isi won with a 4.72 last night.

http://editorial.gettyimages.com/source ... 9794&cdi=0

Edit: Still haven't found full results, but ... from the IAAF article:

Close call for Isinbayeva

Yelena Isinbayeva won the women’s Pole Vault, thus redeeming herself in the same stadium where she failed clear the opening height a year ago. However, it was not easy for the 24-year-old World record holder. After she clear her opening height of 4.57m on her second attempt, the bar was raised to 4.67m. Isinbayeva failed twice at what should be a routine height for her. She decided to pass her final jump at 4.67m and take her one remaining attempt at 4.72m which she cleared for the win with a new meet record.

PV
1) Yelena Isinbayeva 4.72m
2) Tatiana Grigoriyeva 4.57m
3) Kym Howe 4.47m

[BruceFlorman]

Evidently a press release of some sort ... seems to have been translated, probably from Italian ...

September 27, 2006

WOMEN PROTAGONISTS TO "SPORT MOVIES & TV 2006”

6 days of Sport, Cinema and Television with “SPORT MOVIES & TV 2006 - 24th MILAN INTERNATIONAL FICTS FESTIVAL”, the most important International Festival with 43 Nations enrolled, about sports cinema and television, with the female world like protagonist. In occasion of the "Opening Gala”, on the 27th of October, will be present Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan, President of the Federation Equestrian International (FEI), awarded with the “Guirlande d' Honneur” like Personage of the Year. The Princess is CIO member and first Arabic woman “Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations World Food Program”.

The Olympic and World Champion of pole vault Yelena Isinbayeva will be guest to the “Closing Cerimony”, that will take place on the1th of November in Palazzo Mezzanotte, center of the Milan Stock Exchange in Piazza Affari. The ukraine athlete, first woman to hold the world-wide record with 5 m in her speciality, will be a future protagonist of cinematographic world and of the fashion show. The Festival enriches its program with meeting and conventions complitely dedicated to the female figure in the sport. Between which: “The women and the Islam", during which will take part some famous journalists and will be projected “Women Islamic Games”, video about the traditions Muslims sport; "Female Soccer”, with the projection of 4 videos at the presence of some winner players of league.

More...

Would'a been nice if they'd gotten her nationality right.

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[BruceFlorman]

...

So evidently she'll be in Athens on the 17th. She's also listed on the Russian roster posted this morning on the IAAF site. I'm a little curious whether "will participate" really means she "gets to participate" or she "has to participate". Svetlana Feofanova competed for the Russian team in the Euro Cup, but struggled with the wind and no heighted. After coming in 4th in Göteborg and seeming to be a little off form in Birmingham, Feo may have decided to call it a season and give her back a rest. Or, alternatively, the Russian selectors may have decided they couldn't risk giving up points. But either way, I wonder what the call to Isi from VFLA headquarters was really like.

BTW, I left a question in her guestbook about the circumstances surrounding her addition to the Russian team for Athens, which she answered a couple of days ago:

I’m delighted that the World Cup has been added to your schedule! An extra opportunity to follow one of your competitions is an unexpected treat; even if there will be no video of it available out here in the hinterland. :-)

I’m curious about the circumstances surrounding this addition, although I will understand if you don’t feel entirely at liberty to reveal them. Did you ask your federation to add you to the team, or did the ВФЛА ask you?

Obviously I'd forgotten (and didn't bother to check in advance) that WCSN would be covering the World Cup. But anyway ...

No problem in answering, it was in Göteborg. Being with all the team in the hotel I thought it could have been fun and I checked the calendar if it could fit in. We changed a bit the schedule and decided to go for it.

YI

So evidently it really was her idea to add Athens to her schedule.