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Winter World Pole Vault Champion Yevgeny Lukyanenko: Now when I jump seven meters…

01 August 2008, №110 (17588) S. Pryakhin

The Olympic record in the men’s pole vault, belonging to American Timothy Mack, is only 5 meters 95 centimeters. However, many experts predict that the competition for the Beijing Olympic gold medal will take place - for the first time in history - at a height exceeding 6 meters. One of those who has already cleared it is 23 year old Russian vaulter Yevgeny Lukyanenko.

A year ago at the world championships in Osaka Yevgeny Lukyanenko placed sixth, albeit with a personal record at 5.81. But in March he won the indoor world championship with a result of 5.90, and in June, in Poland, he became the sixteenth vaulter in history to pass the 6-meter boundary, flying over 6.01. And now there is no doubt that Lukyanenko is one of the main contenders in Beijing.

FLIES DROP DEAD…

– Is August 22nd circled on your calendar, perhaps in red felt-tip pen, Yevgeny?
– You mean the Olympic pole vault finals, which are scheduled for that day? You know, I’m not looking that far ahead. Right now we’re going to Irkutsk for a little work, and only leave for Beijing on the 15th. I hope by August 19th, when qualifications take place, that I’ll have adapted to the local conditions.

– How much time will you need to adapt to the changing time zones?
– Five days. I go around like a sleepwalker, trying to not fall asleep in the daytime. I can only train lightly.

– What are you most worried about in Beijing? The heat? The humidity?
– I'm not afraid of the heat. I’m a southern man. In the little Slavic-on-Cuban village where I train, the summer heat – you wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy! Flies drop dead if the wind doesn’t blow!

– The humidity – yes it’s unusual. But hopefully last year's experience will help. The World Championships took place in Osaka Japan.

– Russian record holder Maxim Tarasov, you may recall, also trained in terribly cramped conditions. It’s said that they even removed the ceiling of the hall in Yaroslavl so he could jump six meters. Is it time for you to break the roof in the hall?
– It’s early yet (Yevgeny laughs). There’s still some space left! Now when I start to jump seven meters…

MY №1 RIVAL – MYSELF

– At the Olympics at what height will the gold be contested?
– Possibly it’ll be necessary to go 6.05.

– This season only three have jumped six meters - you, the American Brad Walker and Australian Steven Hooker. The fight for gold will be amongst you three?
– I wouldn’t dismiss world silver medalist Roman Mesnil of France from the calculations. This year I’ve only seen him once in Berlin. He didn’t do too well there, but who knows what shape he’s in now? And don’t forget that the German Danny Ecker jumped six meters.

– However that may be, everyone says the favorites in the competition are Walker and you.
–Walker is a strong athlete, very confident in himself. You can’t make him sweat. But in Valencia, for the winter world championships, I beat him. In Zurich, at the "Golden League" meet as well. Although there, in my opinion, he "no-heighted" [I’m a little uncertain of the translation for “zabaranil” – BF], in the sense of not taking an initial height. So I can’t consider it a real victory. But I’ve lost only once - a year ago in Osaka. Therefore I’m not afraid to face Walker. And in general my main rival is myself.

– Regarding the Australian Hooker, I’m very impressed with the clip I saw of him on the Internet. Run, plant, and… the pole flies up about ten meters, and Hooker himself is in front of the mats on his back, looking into the sky… [See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TngAOaK9T4 – BF]
– From your perspective it probably seems ridiculous, though actually it’s not too pleasant. This happened to me too. In practice, of course, when I was already tired. My concentration lapsed, but the pole doesn’t condone relaxation.

- Incidentally, as kids all the guys jump on rigid poles. We start using the flexible ones only when we get older. Many have difficulty overcoming this psychological barrier.

IN TRAINING I JUMP 5.80

– Do you not make attempts at the world record in training?
– Frankly, I don’t even put it at six meters while training. I jump 5.70-5.80. With mixed results (laughing). 6.01 is my personal record.

– So what helps to take such a height in competition?
– Bravado. Adrenalin. Although now and then this interferes. Why, for example, did I fail to break the national record - 6.06 - at the recent Russian championships in Kazan? One of the attempts wasn’t bad, but I was so pumped up that the standards proved to be set too close.

– Yelena Isinbaeva says that she cools off when her rivals struggle for a long time at the lower heights, and just loses energy. You as well?
– Yes. I prefer when the attempts go one after another. It’s more interesting.

– Where do you generally prefer jumping – indoors or out?
– There’s no difference for me. Indoors it’s nice that there is no wind or rain. But in the open air, strangely enough, many have better results. Maybe the ceiling somehow inhibits?

– Last year your record was 5.81. This one - 6.01 already. What is the secret? And can we expect next year a 6.21 clearance from you?
– I don’t know what to expect of myself. But regarding my progress – it didn’t just come out of nowhere. We carefully analyzed what mistakes I was making, and where I could improve. We diversified my workouts – triple jumps, and fives, and ran sprints. I worked on my left hand – with a stiffer pole you must pull harder. 6.01 didn’t come right away. After 5.81 in Osaka I got 5.85, then 5.90…

WELL HOW AM I BUBKA?!

– Vaulters usually have several poles for the different heights. How many do you have?
– Four. And the stiffest is only for jumping over six meters.

– You made 6.01 with it?
– No, actually. I’ve only used the stiffest already at 6.05, but those were unsuccessful. But I won the winter world championship in Valencia with the stiffest when clearing 5.90.

– What is the length of your poles?
– 5.10. The rest comes from how your jump goes. Some, I know, genuinely love their poles.

– How do you feel about being called the “new Bubka”?
– Outraged. Well how am I Bubka?! He had something like 36 world records! I’m Yevgeny Lukyanenko. This is sufficient for me.

– You have never been to China. But what associations come to mind when you hear the name of this country?
– You know, earlier I would have told you something about Confucius or the Great Wall of China. But now I have only one association with that country: the Olympics! Since childhood I’ve dreamt about being in this festival of sport. And when I get to Irkutsk, perhaps I will circle August 22nd on the calendar in red.

PERSONAL BUSINESS

YEVGENY LUKYANENKO
Born January 23rd, 1985 in Krasnodar.
Height 190 cm.
Coach Sergei Gripich.
Primary Event: pole vault.
Personal record: 6.01 (Bydgoszcz, 01.07.2008).
Achievements: World champion indoors (2008). Champion of Russia (2008), vice-champion (2007).
Not married.

KEY RIVALS

BRAD WALKER (USA), 27 YEARS

Season’s best result: 6.04 (8 June)

In recent years Walker has consistently jumped higher than all. At least outdoors. True, a year ago at the world championships in Osaka, the American struck everyone not so much with his result of 5.86, but with his blue Indian Mohawk. After winning gold, he stated that he always performs better with a new hairdo. How will Brad surprise us in Beijing? Preferably not with a 6.04 jump like in June at the American competition in Eugene.

STEPHEN HOOKER (AUSTRALIA), 26 YEARS

Season’s best result: 6.00 (27 January)

Hooker’s father won multiple Australian championships in the 800 meters, and his mother was the ’72 Olympic long jump silver medalist. Steve didn’t become a track athlete, but chose the pole, popular in Australia thanks to ex-Russians Dmitry Markov and Viktor Chistiakov. He has also trained at the domestic school represented by Alexander Parnov, who has given technical aid to Brad Walker. However, Parnov wasn’t able to do anything about Hooker’s inconsistency and lapses of confidence.

PAUL BURGESS (AUSTRALIA), 29 YEARS

Season’s best result: 5.61 (1 July)

This veteran vaulter, who began his career in gymnastics, might more appropriately be called a "dark horse". In recent years he has frequently jumped over 5.90, but this season he has almost completely dropped out due to injuries. Only through a series of European competitions has he persuaded the Australian federation that he is worthy to represent the country in his third Games. However, so far luck at major competitions has bypassed Burgess and don’t be surprised if he fails to even qualify for the final in Beijing.

BruceFlorman wrote:- Incidentally, as kids all the guys jump on rigid poles. We start using the flexible ones only when we get older. Many have difficulty overcoming this psychological barrier.

– Vaulters usually have several poles for the different heights. How many do you have?
– Four. And the stiffest is only for jumping over six meters.

– You made 6.01 with it?
– No, actually. I’ve only used the stiffest already at 6.05, but those were unsuccessful. But I won the winter world championship in Valencia with the stiffest when clearing 5.90.