Australians on the Move

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.thewest.com.au/20041023/spor ... 29644.html


Lonely Markov pulls pin on WA

EMMA GEORGE

WA is losing one of its top sports stars, with 2001 world pole vault champion Dmitri Markov moving to Adelaide next month.

Markov, 29, is the only Australian field athlete to win world championship gold and, with a personal best of 6.05m, is the next highest vaulter behind world record holder Sergey Bubka's 6.14m.

After splitting with long-time coach Alex Parnov last year, Markov has been responsible for his own programs, coaching himself with the aid of a video recorder and some assistance from United States based coach Greg Hull.

The move is not career driven as Markov is leaving one of the best pole vault facilities in Australia to one where elite pole vaulters are exiting due to a coaching shortage.

Sydney Olympic silver medallist Tatiana Grigorieva moved from Adelaide to the Gold Coast this week to train under Sergey Miroshnichenko while her estranged husband Viktor Chistiakov is residing in Ukraine.

Chistiakov is considering retiring to pursue a business opportunity and will miss this Australian season.

But he could return in time for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

WA Institute of Sport director Steven Lawrence believes Markov's move to Adelaide could compromise his athletic performance.

"We have expressed concerns to Dmitri that without a coach we think it will be difficult for him to continue to improve as an athlete and we have offered him our services of sports coaching and science resources, if and when required," Lawrence said.

Markov admits the facilities in Adelaide are inferior to Perth's, but his decision was due to family considerations.

"This year I was away for five months and we don't have a lot of friends here," Markov said.

His results have been below par this season, missing the final in Athens for the first time in three Olympic Games.

But Markov believes he is training well and that broken and lost poles played a role in disappointing performances.

"I am quite happy doing my own sessions and I have learnt how to train and work a bit harder now," he said.

"It is good to have a coach but to find a good coach takes a long time. It is much easier to find a training partner or supporter."

Markov will compete for South Australia during the Australian season with the aim to qualify for next year's world championships.

[mikepv1]

I hope he does well. I haven't seen him jump high in a while. I didn't know he was a family man.

[mowad1]

Did you notice who wrote that article? None other than former world record holder Emma George. This brings me to the point that it seems that all of Australia's greats have had pretty tragic turns to their careers.
Unfortunate