Isinbayeva believes she is unbeatable if she does her best

[rainbowgirl28]

Story by Paul Merca

http://paulmerca.blogspot.com

OSAKA, Japan-Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva spoke today to members of the international press corps at an adidas media event where she exhibited her hand-drawn illustration that is part of the German sportswear company's "Impossible is nothing" advertising campaign.

She also took time to answer questions about her preparation for the IAAF World Track & Field Championships, which begin Saturday here in the Japanese city.

When asked about the technical changes she's made in the last year, she said, "It's getting a lot better. I'm getting more confident in my jumping. I feel like I'm flying over the bar. I'm using longer poles now, between 4.50 and 4.55 meters long (14'9" to 14'11"), and my grip is a lot higher as well."

"Last year was a bit difficult, since that was the first year of making the technical changes (which included a change in coaches). This year, I feel like I'm flying over the bar, as opposed to jumping over the bar. I am a lot more confident in my ability to go over the bar, as opposed to last year."

On whether or not she feels she can be beaten here in Osaka, she simply said "No". In response to a follow-up question on who may be going for the other medals, she said, "That is not my problem. I only focus on myself, and the bar. As long as I do my best, it's impossible for the other girls to beat me. Sorry, ladies!"

On whether or not she gets bored being the best, she said, "It depends on the competition. Sometimes I don't start jumping until about 2, 2 1/2, even three hours after the start. I try to push myself every time I compete. It's difficult, but I enjoy pole vaulting. You could say it's my passion."

For the link to Yelena's story, visit adidas.com.

[rainbowgirl28]

Photos from the press conference:

(the pole she is holding has marks for all the world records she has set)

[rainbowgirl28]

Paul Merca wore his really cool Pole Vault Power t-shirt to this press conference

[patchdoggydogg]

Becca, thanks for posting the story for me!

Scrambling here in the press center here in Osaka...sushi and ramen are calling my name as I am looking for lunch!

[patchdoggydogg]

...and after all that, it was Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch across the street from Nagai Stadium! We went with what we knew!

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6 ... 698C561463

I'm unbeatable, boasts Isinbayeva

August 24 2007 at 01:57PM
Osaka - Russia's record breaking pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva boasted on Friday that she is unbeatable and vowed to better Sergey Bubka's 35 world records.

"Technically I'm getting better. I'm more confident. My grip is much higher now and I always look forward to jumping higher than before," she said on the eve of the world championships here.

Asked if she could be beaten, Isinbayeva said: "No. Who will get silver, I don't know, it's not my problem. I only focus on myself. It is impossible for someone to beat me."

Her boast is justified. Of the Top 15 all-time women's pole vault performances, all are by 25-year-old Isinbayeva. She holds the world record of 5.01m, set at the last world championships two years ago in Helsinki.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://english.pravda.ru/news/sports/24 ... _records-0

Isinbayeva to beat more world records in view
Front page / Sport
08/24/2007 13:59 Source: AP ©



Yelena Isinbayeva is pulling a "Tiger Woods."

Not satisfied being merely the most dominating woman in the pole vault, she spent last season tearing apart her technique. This was Woods' strategy a few years ago when he retooled his golf swing in a push for new heights.

"Last year I didn't feel my jump," Isinbayeva said (www.abc.net.au)

Isinbayeva struggled with a stiffer pole, with a higher grip, and with a "new swing technique" devised by coach Vitaly Petrov. It was a season devoid of world records and filled with frustration.

"Last year I didn't feel my jump," Isinbayeva said Friday on the eve of the nine-day athletics world championships. "I just jumped without any feeling. But this year I feel each part of my jump, I know what I need to do before each jump. It's given me more motivation because now I understand the pole vault more."

This is very bad news for everybody else.

The 25-year-old Russian is the defending Olympic and world champion, and she rules her discipline like nobody else. She's set 20 world records (13 outdoor, seven indoor), although her last outdoor record came two years ago in Helsinki - 5.01 meters - at the last worlds.

Keep an eye on next Tuesday's finals.

"I'm starting to feel I am flying over the bar, not jumping over it," Isinbayeva said. "I'm sure I will jump even higher step by step."

In addition to the new technique, her biggest problem is the lack of a real challenger. American Jenn Stuczynski among a handful of contenders for silver and bronze.

"Of course, if I had some stronger rivals that would motivate me so much."

Asked if she could be defeated, Isinbayeva bluntly replied: "No."

"And who wins silver, I don't know," she added. "That's not my problem. I always focus on myself and don't care about my rivals."

Isinbayeva said one of the most difficult things for her in competition was killing time for up to three hours while other vaulters attempt the lower heights.

"Sometimes I get tired waiting for the first attempt," she said. "I don't know what to do in that time - maybe warm up three times."

Isinbayeva is modest, almost shy - but not when she's talking about her domination of the women's pole vault competition. Her goal is to eclipse Sergei Bubka's record feats. Bubka set 35 world records and is a friend and sometime-mentor to Isinbayeva.

She figures if she sets 16 more records, that will drive the new world outdoor standard to about 5.20 meters.

"Setting 36 world records would make me happy," she said. `How long it will take, I don't know. But by the end of my career I would like to achieve a record which nobody will beat - ever."

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/200 ... 041056.htm

It's impossible to beat me, says Isinbayeva
(AFP)
Updated: 2007-08-24 15:16

OSAKA, Japan - Russian world pole vault record holder Yelena Isinbayeva may be the most confident athlete in sport.

If you do not think so, just ask her.

"I know if I do my best, it is impossible for somebody to beat me," the Olympic and world champion said at a news conference on Friday.


Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia clears the bar to win the women's pole vault at the IAAF Golden League athletics meet in Oslo June 15, 2007. [Reuters]
"There's no chance for anybody," she added. "Sorry, it's like this."

She is so big a favourite in the 11th world championships which begin on Saturday, that she professes no concern for the competition.

"I don't care about my rivals," she said. "More important and more dangerous is myself."

The former gymnast has not lost a final this year, going 11 for 11. In three years, she has been beaten only three times in 42 competitions. Twice the losses came because she no-heighted. The other loss was on a countback.

In meets where she has cleared a height, no one has jumped higher since July 4, 2004, according to Track & Field News magazine.

Twenty times she has set a world record with 11 of them coming outdoors.

Her ambition is to raise the bar to 5.16 or 5.20 metres and beat former Ukranian Sergei Bubka's string of 35 men's pole vault records.

But her record machine has slowed in recent years. Not since the Helsinki world championships, when she cleared 5.01 metres, has she raised the bar.

The reason, in part, has been the lack of competition, she said.

Sometimes she may wait two to three hours to begin vaulting while competitors fall by the side.

"That is more difficult," she said, "but pole vault is still my passion."

[rainbowgirl28]

http://web.wcsn.com/article/news.jsp?ym ... 4003&dpre=

August 25, 2007 4:50:00 PM PDT
No serious rivals for Isinbayeva in Osaka
By Dave Ungrady / WCSN.com

The last time she competed in a world championships, Yelena Isinbayeva set a world record. (Getty)
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Isinbayeva looks ahead: 350K
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OSAKA, Japan -- Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva is slowly getting more comfortable speaking and understanding the English language, as she proved Friday during a press conference at an Adidas store in Osaka to preview her marquee appearance at the IAAF outdoor world championships.
When asked by a journalist if she can be beaten, she replied quickly and confidently with a curt "No."

After a brief pause, she elaborated in halting English, but clear enough for all to understand. "I feel better if I see some rivals, they want me beat or they would like to be first. I know if I do my best, it's impossible that somebody beats me. So question is only if I will improve myself as fast as I do. No chance for everybody. Sorry it's like this."

Isinbayeva punctuated her statement with an apologetic smile, but the point was clear. No other athlete in track and field has recently dominated her event as profoundly as Isinbayeva. The 2004 Olympic champion and defending world champion owns 20 world records, including 13 outdoors. She has recorded the top 13 jumps of all time, including the current outdoor record of 5.01 meters (16 feet, 5 inches) set at the 2005 outdoor world championships.

It's no wonder she feels bored sometimes when she competes, as she expressed Friday.

"It depends on competition," said Isinbayeva, who begins the qualifying rounds Sunday evening. The finals are on Tuesday. "Sometimes I am tired to wait. Sometimes I wait two and half hours, sometimes three. That is difficult. I don't know what I can do in that time. Sometimes maybe I'm freezing, I do some warm up, two three times during the competition. That is difficult. Before, when I had rivals like [Russian Svetlana] Feofanova and [Poland's Anna] Rogowska. They will push me. Now I try push myself each time when I compete."

American Jenn Stuczynski, who set an American record of 4.88 meters on June 2, is the most stern threat on paper to Isinbayeva. But Stuczynski has been plagued by a back injury throughout the outdoor season.

Feofanova also owns a 4.88 personal best, but that occurred in 2004. Her 2007 outdoor best is 4.76 meters.

With a lack of consistent, strong opposition, Isinbayeva searches for other motivating factors. She has found a strong source among spectators.

"When I go in on the track and I look at all the people on the track who wish me good luck," she said. "[They say] 'Yelena, we love you, we want to see something great.' So that is enough to concentrate and to have the wishes to jump."

Isinbayeva has recently endured an uncomfortable competitive period prompted by tweaking her technique. Last year, she moved her grip higher on the pole and started using longer poles.

"Last year was hard for me. But this year, I don't change anything. I just try to improve. So this year I feel more confident than last year. This year, I start feeling like I fly over, not jump over, the bar. This year, I don't have any risk. I am confident. I am sure I will jump highest."

For how long? Isinbayeva hopes to compete through the 2013 world championships, which will be held in Moscow when she will be 31 years old.

"I want to continue, and I look forward to 2013 now," she said. "I don't think anyone will let me finish after 2012 because we have world championships in 2013. I was ambassador for that program. I would like to finish."

Until then, a question remains. Will Isinbayeva consistently face enough fierce competition to help her maintain strong interest in the sport?

[rainbowgirl28]

Video from this press conference

http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/displa ... p?id=17419