Viktor Chistiakov returns to competing for Russia

[rainbowgirl28]

If I were a guy and the local press called me 'Mr. Tatiana', I would return to my native land as well!



http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 18,00.html

'Mr Tatiana' cleared for Russia
By John Salvado
July 26, 2006
OLYMPIC pole vault finalist Viktor Chistiakov has turned his back on Australia to compete for his native Russia.

The ex-husband of Tatiana Grigorieva gained Australian citizenship in the late 1990s, after winning the 1993 world junior title for Russia, and he achieved his best result in the green and gold when finishing fifth with a clearance of 5.80 metres at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

But Chistiakov, 31, was unable to deliver on his undoubted talent at subsequent major championships.

He missed selection for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens when former world champion Dmitri Markov claimed the third spot in the Australia squad alongside Steve Hooker and Paul Burgess.

Chistiakov, who has spent the past three years living and training in Europe, told Athletics Australia late last year that he wanted to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne earlier this year.

But he missed the 2005-2006 Australian summer season through injury, and Markov, Burgess and eventual Commonwealth gold medal winner Hooker again claimed the positions on the team.
Chistiakov wrote to AA recently, stating his wish to compete for Russia once again.

"He's moved back to Russia permanently," AA chief executive Danny Corcoran said.

"He's applied to be released back to Russia, and we won't stand in his way.

"He's an athlete coming towards the end of his career, and we certainly wouldn't hold him up.

"We discussed it internally, we spoke to (AA national performance manager Max Binnington) and said: What do you think?'

"The general consensus was that Viktor was going home after living here for a period of time, and we didn't want to stand in his way."

Chistiakov will be eligible to compete for Russia from late next month, as that will mark the three-year anniversary since he last represented Australia - at the 2003 world championships in Paris.

Chistiakov returned to competition at last week's grand prix meet in Greece, clearing 5.50 metres to finish third behind Aleksander Averbukh of Israel.

He has a personal best of 5.90 metres set in 1999.

Russia is a traditional pole vaulting powerhouse, although it has no men in the top 15 on the current world rankings.