Another interview from Tula, this one on the Советский Спорт website (from Tuesday). I enjoyed this writer's narrative style, and I've tried to preserve it, so my translation of the opening paragraphs hasn't been as "Americanized" as some that I've done.
[quote="Natalia Kuzina"]
FEOFANOVA DID NOT BEGIN TO RISK
... The apogee of the battle in the pole vault sector begins when four participants take 4.50:
Svetlana Feofanova and
Yulia Golubchikova on the first attempt;
Anastasia Shvedova and
Tatiana Polnova on the second.
At the following height - 4.55. In unison, also on the first attempt Polnova, Feofanova and Golubchikova go clear. Shvedova drops out, after failing all three jumps.
And at the height of 4.60 Polnova retires. This means that the places on the Russian team to the world championships most likely will be filled by Golubchikova and Feofanova (the final team composition will be set later by the trainers’ council). But which of them will become champion today?
Svetlana, after passing 4.65, declares 4.70 – and again is without a miss! This height does not immediately yield to Yulia, but her third attempt is flawless. Again intrigue!
4.75. First up is Feofanova and... spotless! This is the best result she’s shown this season! Furthermore – the third best in the world after
Yelena Isinbaeva’s 4.91 and
Jennifer Stuczynski’s 4.88. Thus there’s no doubt – Svetlana is aiming for a high place at her third world championships.
But the competition in Tula is not yet finished – 4.75 confronts Golubchikova. By the way, her best result this season – 4.70 – which she set right in this stadium on 7 July. And this time it remains so: Feofanova is champion!
The official proposal from the secretariat to raise the bar to a new height and compete on her own, Svetlana, with a smile, declines.
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Why? - I interrogate the champion immediately after the end of competition.
- There’s no sense in taking risks – not in these conditions! Whenever I come to Tula it rains. Here today it’s just the same.
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To what height do you plan to raise the bar in Osaka?
- Well, to 5.20 at the minimum! - smiles Svetlana. Then seriously she adds: - Generally, I haven’t made such plans for myself for several years: whatever I achieve – everything I do, no one will take away.
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How do you evaluate this season as a whole? You give the impression of clearing the necessary heights very easily.
- Yes I simply haven’t been tired at all because I began the season late, so as not to waste energy before the world championships. Since the selections are being made now, I aimed to reach peak form precisely in Tula.
- [b]But is this justified now? Maybe you need to be “patientâ€Â