Isi in Liévin all weekend?

[BruceFlorman]

I'm not quite sure what to make of this ...

NEWS 01.03.2006 SUMMER - LIGHT ATHLETICS 17:17

Isinbayeva will perform for the Russian team at the Cup of Europe

Olympic champion, 18-time (sic) world record holder in pole vaulting, Yelena Isinbayeva will appear for the team of Russia at the indoor Cup of Europe, which will take place in Liévin on 4-5 March. Andreas Mettsler, leader of the Podium company which supervises the Russian sportswoman, reported this to the agency of the sport information "Vyes sport".

"Now Yelena is located in Sweden, where she is preparing for the Cup of Europe and the world championship in Moscow on 10-12 March," reported Andreas Mettsler. "Her present form she and trainer Vitaly Petrov evaluate as smashing. Yelena will arrive in the Russian capital on 8 March and after only two days she will participate in the qualifications for the world championship."

According to Andreas Mettsler, on Saturday, 4 March, in Liévin, Yelena Isinbayeva will be awarded the prize as the best athlete of 2005 on the vote totals, carried out by the European Athletics Association (EAA). The prize is a "Waterford crystal" vase.

Since she's competing in the Gaz de France (also in Liévin) on Friday, and she isn't listed on the EAA start list for Sunday, I don't know if she's actually going to compete for the Russian team, or if she's just sticking around to pick up the trophy.


Edited to fix a minor typo.

[pelle3]

Isinbayeva and Arron turnout for final Moscow dress rehearsal – Liévin PREVIEW

Thursday 2 March 2006
Source

[list]Liévin, France – The women stars are expected to make the headlines on Friday night (3) in Liévin. Yelena Isinbayeva and Christine Arron have chosen the 19th edition of “Meeting Gaz de France du Pas-de-Calaisâ€Â

[BruceFlorman]

Since she's competing in the Gaz de France (also in Liévin) on Friday, and she isn't listed on the EAA start list for Sunday, I don't know if she's actually going to compete for the Russian team, or if she's just sticking around to pick up the trophy.

Evidently the latter.

From the EAA website ...

Pole Vault
Poland’s Anna Rogowska should be head and shoulders above everybody else after having cleared 4.79m this year but there could be an intriguing battle for second between Russia’s Tatyana Polnova, and the in form duo of Germany’s Martina Strutz and the Ukraine’s Nataliya Kushch, who have both cleared personal best heights in recent weeks.

[BruceFlorman]

And further...

...

Concerning reports appearing in the press about the possible appearance of Yelena Isinbaeva at the pole vaulting tournament: "Within the framework of the European Cup, our team will be represented by Tatiana Polnova, the reliable third member of the national team," explained Valery Kulichenko. "I think the confusion arose because on the same day in Liévin, Yelena Isinbaeva will be awarded the prize as the best athlete of Europe in 2005 according to the European Athletics Association. Isinbaeva's other plans remain unchanged. On 8 March she arrives in Moscow to participate in the world championship."

[BruceFlorman]

From the EAA website ...
Alekna and Isinbayeva look ahead

For the first time this year the presentation of the Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year Trophy took place in the athletics arena at the start of the European Athletics Indoor Cup in Liévin on 5 March. Lithuanian discus thrower Virgilijus Alekna and Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva received their trophies from EAA President Hansjörg Wirz. They also took time out to share their thoughts about what lies ahead in 2006.
...

What does it mean to you to have won the European Athlete of the Year award?

“I am very happy to have won the award. It is very important for me because I want to be the best female athlete.â€Â