On Runner's Web, Bob Ramsak wrote:Athletics: Meeting Gaz De France Notebook
By Bob Ramsak
© 2006 TRACK PROFILE Report, all rights reserved
PARIS – Scattered news and notes prior to this evening’s Meeting Gaz de France here in Paris...
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Isinbayeva’s Debut
After what she dubbed as her traditional three-month hiatus from competition, World and Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva is excited about resuming competition in Paris.
"Now I feel that I’m 100 percent ready," the Russian said, adding that there will be a few visible changes in her technique and style that she has worked on with coach Vitaliy Petrov at her training base in Formia, Italy. The primary difference is in her approach, she said, with her shoulders held higher, enabling her to increase her speed.
She also noted that competition among her rivals will be more intense this year, singling out Monika Pyrek of Poland as a prime example. "I know that she can be consistent at 4.80, since I’ve seen her jumping in training." Pyrek, the reigning world championships silver medallist, too, trains with Petrov.
She didn’t add much to her world record collection tally over the indoor season, but was not at all disappointed. "In Moscow," she said, referring to the World Indoor Championships, "the only goal was to win. The technique changes were very new then, so I wasn’t very worried about heights."...
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Full article here.