ATHLETICS. Yelena Isinbaeva: I think about the wins, and not about the million dollars

Many considered the fifth stage of the "Golden League" in Brussels to be critical for pole vault world record holder Yelena Isinbaeva. After she escaped the previous stage in Zurich with difficulty from the improving Svetlana Feofanova, for the first time in long while her victory didn’t appear so obvious. But in Brussels, in spite of everything, Isinbaeva won calmly and confidently, even despite a season’s best personal result from Feofanova – 4.80 m. One start and one victory remain before the achievement of the one million dollar series jackpot – Sunday in Berlin. Yelena Isinbaeva described how a person feels when one step away from a million dollars to Natalia Maryanchik, the special correspondent of the Agency of sport information "All Sport" in Brussels.

- Lena, congratulations on your victory. How did you jump?
- Good, I’m satisfied with everything. The weather today was warmer than in Zurich, and my jumps were okay from the very beginning – in terms of technique and attitude. I was pleased with my attempt at 4.90. It’s a pity of course that again 5.02 didn’t come out, but so it goes.

- Before your last attempt at the world record height you argued and shook your finger at someone for a long time. What happened?
- Not at all, I argued with no one. It’s just that at this moment the women’s 200 was starting, and the local favorite Kim Gevaert was running there. Naturally all the spectators’ attention was riveted on her, creating something unusual in the stadium. But I wanted some support, to get some clapping and shouting for me too. Therefore I tried to stretch the time, to focus some attention of the spectators on myself. Nothing worked, so I had to jump without.

- Consequently it’s the spectators’ fault for the missed world record?
- No, I don’t want to blame anyone but myself. Certainly the support of the spectators, when they clap in rhythm, helps a lot. I’ve set all my records when I had a lot of support from the stadium. But in general the situation here is wonderful, and it was just a coincidence that Kim was running during my last attempt.

- One stage remains before getting the one million dollars. Do you feel pressure?
- No, no pressure at all. I’m absolutely calm. Money isn’t my motivation. I don’t think about the jackpot, but about the jumps, about the wins. So it plays no role whether there is a million dollars or not, I simply want to jump well, to win and to set records.

- You really don’t keep track of the second contender for the jackpot – American 400 meter runner Sanya Richards? Depending on the results in Berlin, you’ll either split the million in half or it will be given to someone alone.
- No, I don’t specifically track Sanya’s results, although of course, I’m kept informed. She’s quite good, already raised the season’s best result for the second time in a row, won all five stages, and runs very beautifully. But again, when I watch her run, I don’t think about money at all.

- Only one day remains before the last stage in Berlin. Will you have time to recover?
- Yes, I don’t think this will be problem. At the world championships we jumped like this; qualification then the final after one day. Tomorrow morning we go to Berlin, and then I’ll rest. No shopping and restaurants. I’ll have a massage, maybe go into the sauna, but then I’ll sit in my room with a book. My feet need the rest.

- What are you reading now?
- A book about world religions, their origins and distinctive characteristics. It’s interesting, and I enjoy it. And of course I read in Russian.