Isi updates ...

[BruceFlorman]

And one more little blurb from Allsport ...

12:18 26.11.2007 – Light Athletics
Yelena Isinbaeva organizes a charitable fund in her name
The famous Russian sportswoman, Olympic Games, World and European champion, and holder of 20 world records in the women’s pole vault, Yelena Isinbaeva is realizing her plans to help the needy children of Volgograd, which she stated in September after winning the half million dollar jackpot of the prestigious "Golden League" athletics series. Yelena Isinbaeva reported about this herself to the Agency of Sport Information "All Sport".

“After winning the jackpot I had time to discuss the plans with my managers,” described Yelena Isinbaeva. “Soon – I think before the end of 2007 – we will create the charitable Yelena Isinbaeva Fund. Most likely the fund will be based in Russia. First of all, I want to help my country, and in particular my native Volgograd. So far I don’t know whether I will help simply poor children or beginning athletes, but I want to do something for all. I know how important it is to help the child who has talent at sport, but has no means to realize it. At the same time, I cannot but think about the sick, needy, homeless children. I’ll donate a percentage of all my prize money there, and I also hope that sponsors will support my initiative. Even now I have a number of proposals from people who would like to put money into the thus far nonexistent fund. For me this will become additional motivation to jump high and to try to secure more and more new sponsors for the fund. I hope as soon as the beginning of 2008 that the fund will begin its work and that all my plans for the charity will come to fruition.”

[BruceFlorman]

I sort'a suspected that there'd be a longer piece with Isi from the Gala. This was posted Wednesday on Allsport.ru:

08:15 28.11.2007 – Light Athletics
Yelena Isinbaeva: I enjoy being a leader
Yelena Isinbaeva is not just a World, European, and Olympic Games champion and holder of twenty world records in the women’s pole vault. She is also a member of the athletes’ commission of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). And a simply beautiful girl, who recently dared to take a difficult step and fundamentally change her image. Yelena Isinbaeva spoke about the biggest scandal in recent years, about her rivals and her personal style in an interview with editor for the Agency of Sport Information "All Sport" Natalia Maryanchik.

- Lena as a member of the IAAF athletes’ commission, do you support the IAAF’s decision regarding the famous American Marion Jones: two years of disqualification and the confiscation of medals, beginning from 2000?
- Honestly speaking, I don’t have a clear opinion on this question. I think taking away Merion’s medals from the Sydney Olympiad is unfair. In the end, she was repeatedly tested for doping there, and all the tests were negative. But if we’re speaking in general, and not just about Jones, it seems to me that lifelong disqualification makes sense. Otherwise this becomes very light - to admit doping, rest a little and then return. But all these doping-scandals don’t do much to benefit athletics. Maybe if people knew they could never return, our sport would become cleaner.

- Will Marion Jones’ confession seriously undermine the image of athletics?
- But you know where all these problems with our image come from in general? Compare, for instance, football players, who play on the order of 40-60 matches per year. Okay, football is a team sport, so possibly the comparison isn’t valid. Let’s take "Formula-1". What do you think; can Schumacher forego the rivalry with Alonso? No, they always compete on the same track, because this is an issue of the popularity of their sport; an issue of the interest of the spectators and journalists. But what do we see in athletics? For instance, the best sprinters in the world, Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay – why do they avoid facing each other? Why? They’re worried about insufficient money! I’m not interested! Just imagine how much more interesting it would be for the fans if Powell and Gay opposed each other at every tournament. We, the athletes, mustn’t think only about ourselves, but also about the popularity of our sport. Many athletes shy away from contact with the press - because of fatigue or unwillingness, they play no role. But stars must openly talk about themselves, about their country, about their position. For instance, Asafa is from Jamaica – not the best known country for many. But he can tell about it, present it in the way he considers necessary. Every country, on every continent has its stars. It’s worthwhile for them to speak more about their homelands. I don’t know where the problems of athletics are rooted, but I figure the solution, in any event, must begin with the athletes. They must understand that they’re important figures in the popularization of our sport.

- Maybe, as a member of the IAAF athletes’ commission, it would be worthwhile for you to make a speech before your colleagues and loudly state your position?
- No, where would I (laughing)?! I’m still just a common member of the commission, not yet the chairman. If someday I’m elected to head the commission, it will be another matter. I won’t deny I’d like this. I enjoy being a leader. I enjoy directing and motivating others. Sport – this is my life, and I want to be maximally useful in it.

- What do you think about the decision of your former rival Yvonne Buschbaum, who decided to change sex?
- You know, I’m not surprised. As much as I knew her, she was always like a boy, but I didn’t worry about it at all. This is her choice, and there is nothing unbelievable here. Anything can happen in life. Maybe it will be better for her now.

- Why did you decide to change your hairdo?
- I got tired of the long hair. I changed the style because I expect changes in my life. I want all the negativity, all the stress that I received in last two years, to leave together with conclusion of 2007, together with the cut off hair. Now I’m happier with myself than before. I feel myself light as a butterfly, and I hope this change will help me to set a world record.

- Did you have it cut in Russia or in Europe?
- At home, in Volgograd. I only trust my personal master. I don’t much care fore the big famous beauty salons. I prefer small private ones. There they literally perform magic on every little hair. I’m a master in this way, and said: “If comes out badly, you’re kaput!” I certainly can’t go to the competitions or anywhere else with a bad hairdo. I really like the present length, and a few times per year I’ll visit this master in Volgograd in order to maintain it.

- Do you believe in omens like most sportsmen?
- If you’re strong, it’s not important if your hair is long or short. I’m certainly not the biblical hero Samson. My strength isn’t in my hair. Only very superstitious people will, for example, not cut their nails before the competitions or something else of this nature. I’m not like that.

- Maybe you’re competing with Tatiana Lebedeva in eccentricity of hairstyles?
- No, Tatiana is the best (laughing)! It’s useless to compete with her – I’d lose for sure. She’s so unique in the world; incomparable. Tanya, by the way, liked my hairdo. Generally, at first many didn’t even recognize me! They would pass by, and only then turn around: “Is that you?! Unbelievable!” For the last seven or eight years I’ve had long hair, so to cut it – this was actually a major step. By the way, many think that I’m still dying it, but this isn’t so. Now you see my natural color.

- Do you plan any other changes in your life?
- No, first I need to adapt to the way that it already changed (laughing). Well, perhaps that at my place in Monaco I have more friends. Now that I can socialize in English and in Italian, it has become simpler. But otherwise, for me everything is as before.

[BruceFlorman]

11:21 30.11.2007 – Light Athletics
This winter season Yelena Isinbaeva will appear in four tournaments
In the 2008 winter season, the European, World and Olympic Games champion, world record holder in the women’s pole vault, Yelena Isinbaeva will appear in four tournaments, the last of which will be the Indoor World Championships from March 7th to 9th in Valencia. Isinbaeva’s coach, 2007 “Coach of the Year” according to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Vitaly Petrov reported this to the Agency of Sport Information “All Sport”.

“The first three weeks of Lena’s training went well enough,” recounted Vitaly Petrov. “Provided they continue thus for the long term of course, everything will be fine! It’s evident that she is somehow motivated in a new way. Probably spurred on by the upcoming Olympics. Lena now lacks nothing at all in terms of technique or physical form! She just lacks our Russian Cossack swagger, such as she had in 2004 and 2005. Now Lena has all too much going on to get organized, but in sport that happens. This can continue for awhile, but for medals, for victories and records it’s completely necessary to fight.”

Vitaly Petrov also described Yelena Isinbaeva’s competition plans for the winter season. “We can’t have many starts since we began so late: 120 days of preparation. And as a result we will only open the winter season on February 10th in Donetsk. In all, before the World Championships we will have three starts in a little over twenty days: Donetsk; Bydgoszcz Poland on February 14th; Paris on February 23rd. And then – the World Championships which start on March 7th in Valencia.”

[BruceFlorman]

Evidently Isi is in Moscow today for the annual Russian Olympic Committee assembly meeting. There are a couple of articles specifically about that on AllSport.ru that I’ll most likely be translating later this afternoon or evening, but she also gave them a few words about how her training is going so far.

17:31 18.12.2007 – Light Athletics
Yelena Isinbaeva: my coach is surprised by my jumps
The European, World and Olympic Games champion, 20-time world record breaker Yelena Isinbaeva has begun her vault training within the framework of preparing for the new season, and now her results are considerably higher than in the same period last year. Yelena Isinbaeva reported about this herself to the Agency of Sport Information "All Sport".

“I began preparation for the season on November 12th,” recalled Yelena Isinbaeva. “So far I’m only jumping from ten steps with the pole. I’ll start vaulting from a complete takeoff in January. The initial training sessions were hard, but now I’m already gradually recalling how I need to do everything. Last year, for example, from ten steps I was jumping 10 cm lower than now. Coach Vitaly Afanasevich Petrov is satisfied, and sometimes he is even surprised. He says, if only everything could be preserved so for the competitions (laughing). By the way, my new hairstyle in no way interferes with jumping. On the contrary, it adds interest and somehow new sensations.”

Yelena Isinbaeva also described her plans for meeting the new year. “Already tomorrow I’ll fly back to Europe for training. But I must meet the new year at home, in Volgograd – with my family, my little nephew and cat. Immediately after the holiday I’ll begin work again. On January 2nd I have a light warm-up planned, and on the 3rd – full-fledged training already,” said Yelena Isinbaeva.

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

[BruceFlorman]

12:49 18.12.2007 – OLYMPICS.
Yelena Isinbaeva: We will try to raise our country’s flag in China as frequently as possible!

At the annual Olympic assembly, which is presently going on at the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), the grand ceremony to transfer the banner of the Russian Olympic team took place. The European, World and Olympic Games champion, and world record holder in the women’s pole vault, Yelena Isinbaeva, after receiving the banner, gave a short speech. The special correspondents of the Agency of Sport Information "All Sport" report about this.

“Thank you for this beautiful and grand ceremony,” said Yelena Isinbaeva, holding in her hands the banner of the Russian Olympic team. “For us these entire proceedings are a great honor and privilege. From myself personally and from the captains of national combined teams for the summer Olympic sports, I want to express our deep gratitude. 2008, the year of the Olympic Games in Beijing, will be very important for all of us. We will try to raise the flag of our country in China as frequently as possible! With all our enthusiasm, Happy New Year! May the year of the rat be happy for us!”

As reported earlier by the Agency of Sport Information "All Sport", the Russian Olympic team banner was presented to Yelena Isinbaeva by ROC executive committee member, International Olympic Committee member, RFSO "locomotive" chairman, multiple European and World champion and record holder, and four-time Olympic champion in swimming, Aleksandr Popov, the standard-bearer for the Russian team at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

[BruceFlorman]

16:37 18.12.2007 – OLYMPICS
Yelena Isinbaeva: Unfortunately, I’m just not able to carry the flag in the opening ceremony of the Olympiad
The European, World and Olympic Games champion, 20-time world record holder in the women’s pole vault, Yelena Isinbaeva won’t be able to be the standard-bearer of the Russian team at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Yelena Isinbaeva, who was present at the Olympic meeting as captain of the Russian combined team for light athletics, stated this herself to the Agency of Sport Information "All Sport".

“To be present at the Olympic meeting, to hold the Olympic banner in my hands, which has already brought us repeated success, is a great honor,” described Yelena Isinbaeva. “All the more so, as captain of the entire athletics team – to lead the men is still rare and it’s pleasant (laughing). To sit for so long in one place, of course, was difficult. Like all athletes, I don’t sit still. But the moment when I finally held the Olympic banner and spoke on behalf of all the captains, this was worth it. Unfortunately, I’m just not able to be the standard-bearer of the Russian team at the Olympiad in Beijing. The opening ceremony will take place on August 8th, and the light athletics competitions begin on the 15th. Thus I simply won’t be in the Olympic village at the beginning of the games. I think nevertheless, that a man should be the standard-bearer. The flag is heavy, and to bear it isn’t entirely easy.”

Well isn’t that just typical. “Oh, I enjoy leading the men, but they should still do the heavy lifting.”

[BruceFlorman]

From AllSport.ru this afternoon.

21:35 14.02.2008 – Light Athletics
Vitaly Petrov: Isinbaeva is 90-95 percent ready
On Saturday, February 16th, the Olympic Games, World and European champion, and reigning world record holder in the women’s pole vault, Russia’s Yelena Isinbaeva will make her first start of the winter season, appearing at the traditional "Pole Vault Stars" tournament in Donetsk. Her personal trainer, Vitaly Petrov, described Isinbaeva’s preparations, current form, and attitude to the Agency of Sport Information "All Sport".

“Lena and I have been based in Donetsk for quite awhile already – since February 4th,” laughed Vitaly Petrov. “A separate apartment was preferred over a hotel, because there are many dangers now – the flu, for example, is going around everywhere. True, although we’ve been here awhile, we’ll go into the sector for competition for the first time only tomorrow. It’s interesting; they’ve partly renovated the facilities, renewed, and installed new seats for the spectators, because of which the capacity has decreased by one-and-a-half thousand. All the work was just finished literally today! It’s the first start – as happens every year, but nevertheless nervousness is invariably present both for me and for Lena. We have put our souls, our lives, in this sector – how is it possible to enter for the first time without nerves? Lena is well prepared. Possibly not to 100 percent of her capabilities, but to 90-95 percent at least. We performed the complete range of training work, with only ten days we couldn’t waste any, or rest, in order to reach peak form. But I’m a coach, and it’s natural that I always want more. It’s difficult now to talk about a world record - as of course, it’s always difficult to conjecture about something beforehand. Donetsk is a place, where records are generally established with a probability of about 75 percent, if we go by the statistics. Here of course, Sergey Nazarovich Bubka repeatedly went to record heights, and Svetlana Feofanova, and now here, Lena. There’s pressure, of course, with the responsibility. But that won’t disappear anywhere, we’re professionals.”

[BruceFlorman]

I know it's an awfully girlie thing for me to be saying, but I really like Isi's butterfly dress for the Laureus awards ceremony today in St. Petersburg.

I hope she doesn't end up in Mrs. Putin's doghouse though.

Results? Justine Henin beat Isi out for Sportswoman of the Year this time 'round, but Bubka received a Lifetime Achievement award.

[BruceFlorman]

A couple of videos from St. Petersburg via Yahoo:
* Bubka
* Isi
Hopefully they'll play properly when linked this way.

[BruceFlorman]

I just looked at the TV listing in today's newspaper, and I see that the Laureus World Sports Awards are supposed to be shown at 1:00 today on NBC. Obviously it's taped, but I guess I'll have to watch it anyway.

[BruceFlorman]

Evidently IAAF.org will be hosting a live web chat with Isi and Concha Montaner on Wednesday afternoon.

Edit: The link I posted yesterday doesn't work anymore, but here's an official announcement:
http://www.iaaf.org/WIC08/news/kind=100 ... 43678.html

... which I also see that Becca posted here.

[slvr1969]

Thanks BruceFlorman for Link.