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ATHLETICS. Yelena Isinbayeva: For this season on a 10-point scale I give myself a "nine"
The brilliant Russian athlete, the European, World and Olympic champion, and world record holder in women’s pole vault Yelena Isinbayeva arrived in Moscow on "Aeroflot" flight SU 274 from Nice on October 6th. In a conversation with Andrey Mitkov, the chief editor of the Agency of sport information "All Sport", she summed up her pre-Olympic season and shared her plans for the Olympic one.- Lena, the last two victories of your Far-Eastern season – on September 28th in Shanghai and October 3rd in Daegu – passed practically without notice. Are you satisfied with your performance and results in China and Korea?
- Of course I’m satisfied. First of all – that I have won both starts. Secondly – that in spite of it being the very end of the season, I managed completely respectable results, 4.83 and 4.80 m respectively. Furthermore, I even felt somewhat acclimated in Asia – after the World Championships in Osaka. Considering that the Olympic Games next year will take place in Beijing, this experience is very important for me. By the way, this was the first season in my career where I won all the tournaments in which I participated. All 13.
- And how would you assess your entire season on a 10-point scale?
- Out of 10-points? Probably "nine". I’d have said "ten" if it had been possible to set at least a couple of world records.
- And some of your previous seasons were tens, were "excellent"?
- I think I conducted the 2004 and 2005 seasons "excellent". But then for the 2006 season, on a 10-point scale, I would rate myself probably only "five". Truely, this is an honest rating, if we consider only the level of the results I showed. Still, I won all the important meetings. But in this case the level of my results was not very high. This year the average level of the results grew considerably. I won all my tournaments but one with the jumps of 4.80 or higher – up to 4.91. And my attempts at the world record height were much more frequent and more realistic than in 2006. So I’m satisfied.
- At the same time, I got the impression that this season was like a base for you, a springboard before the next year’s Olympics.
- Probably this is actually so. I became more self-confident about my strength than in 2006, when I changed my coach and then my jumping technique. Last year was very difficult for me. This one has been much easier. My jumps became more clear and precise, and 4.80 – if it’s not a warm-up, then it’s a base height. And my attempts at the world record were absolutely not hopeless. None of my world record attempts were just for show or points in a contract. These were real attempts, albeit thus far unsuccessful.
- Why did you set out for Monaco, where you currently rent an apartment, after appearances in the Far East, instead of returning straight to Russia?
- I needed to change bags. To leave behind those with my competition gear, and to pick up others with my regular clothing and gifts.
- So after your change of coaches and your move abroad, don’t you feel like an "isolated piece"?
- On the contrary, after leaving Volgograd for my temporary place of residence in Monaco and training in Italy I’ve become much closer and needed by my country. First of all, I judge by my relations with the All-Russian Athletics Federation and its president Valentin Balakhnichev. The Federation completely pays all foreign duties for me. And I always feel concern and support from Valentin Vasilyevich's side. He lends support and helps on any issues I have. This is very important for me.
- Have you already begun to work in the athletes’ commissions of the Russian Olympic Committee and the International Association of Athletics Federations, to which you were elected this year?
- Thus far I haven’t had time for this work. I’ve just now completed my season, during which I can’t let myself become distracted. But now I’m ready to meet, to sit down and discuss. I have some specific ideas and proposals for both athletes’ commissions.
- You know that you’re being considered for one of three Russian candidates for election to the athletes’ commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)?
- According to my data, the candidates from each country should have been announced to the IOC before October 1st. I don’t know what decision the Russian Olympic committee reached. When I meet Valentin Vasilyevich Balakhnichev, I’ll certainly inquire.
- And does your decision about transferring part of your half million dollar jackpot for winning the "Golden League" to the needy children of Volgograd remain in effect?
- Certainly! Only this won’t be a "transfer of part of the jackpot", it won’t be hand over and forget, just to say I carried out my civic duty, alright. My manager, like I promised, is developing a specific program. Honestly speaking, I don’t know whether we’ll direct aid to an orphanage, a hospital or a sports school. I can only promise that I will select concrete recipients myself, and that I’ll personally monitor the progress of the program’s implementation. By the way, when I get to Volgograd I want to talk about all this with Tanya Lebedeva, who also won the "Golden League" jackpot two years ago and set aside part for charity. We weren’t able to talk earlier, our schedules during the competitions were a little bit different, and there was no time to discuss things in detail.
- What are your personal plans for your vacation?
- Now I’m going home to Volgograd. I want to rest my body, and unplug my head from everything unrelated to my friends and family. I can’t wait to meet my nephew Vanyechka, he’s already three months old. But once there I’ll think about where to spend my time off. I think I’ll go somewhere by the ocean – where it’s warm, where there’s sun.
- When and where will you start your preparation for the upcoming Olympic season?
- On November 12th in Monte Carlo. Thus far my coach, Vitaliy Afanasevich Petrov, and I haven’t discussed further stages of trainings and starts. We’ll decide in our first meetings.
- Do you know that they want to require absolutely all candidates for the Olympic team – regardless of status, titles and current results – to compete at the 2008 Russian championships?
- As far as I know, some exceptions will be provided nevertheless. But I’m not saying that I don’t want to come out at the national championships. Of course I’ll obey whatever decision is made. But nevertheless, I hope the leaders of the team and federation will also try to consider the preparation plans and appearances that my coach develops for me. If there are no conflicts, if Vitaliy Afanasevich’s plan provides for appearing at the Russian championships, I’ll come home with great pleasure. Like now!
- Is it foolish to ask about your plans for the next season?
- Like this one, it’s very important for me to win all the competitions in which I participate. Including first and foremost, the Olympic Games in Beijing. And naturally, I’ll try to get over the bar at the record height more often.
