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She was completely off colour
and had a shattered dream at the recent 12th IAAF World Championship in
Germany. But the Russian lass not only painted a completely different
picture at last weeks IAAF Golden League meeting in Zurich but won her
per event with a world record.
 She
is none other than Russian pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva. In one
of the most dramatic comebacks of recent athletic history, Isinbayeva,
who no heighted in the final at month's IAAF World Championships in
Athletics in Berlin, improved her World Pole Vault record - 5.05m set at
the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with a a first time clearance at 5.06m at the
Weltklasse Zürich - AF Golden League meeting.
The victory which also keeps Isinbayeva in the hunt for the $1
Million Jackpot, was already hers after earlier first time clearances at
4.71 and 4.81 which comfortably defeated the best that World champion
Anna Rogowska of Poland - 4.76 on the second attempt - could manage for
second. Brazil's Fabiana Murer was third, 4.71m
As well as Isinbayeva's pinnacle performance, there were four other
2009 world leads in Zurich, nine Berlin champions won while another five
fell at their first post championship hurdle.
Isinbayeva's clearance of the 5.06 bar was more than impressive, and
it would not be a surprise if the record goes higher before this season
is out.
The Russian spurred on by her Berlin despair was energised in a
fashion which we haven't seen before from the 27-year-old this year. If
ever a World record was forged in the emotion of defeat tonight's 5.06
was it.
"My biggest thanks go to my coach Vitaliy Petrov," said Isinbayeva.
"He gave me the best advice after what happened in Berlin. There were
also other people who trusted me and said 'not to worry, everybody can
lose a competition'."
"It was interesting that I did not feel any pressure coming into the
competition. I knew I was in good shape, and this World record confirms
that I'm here and ready to jump high," the new World record holder said.
She is a two-time Olympic Gold Medallist (2004 and 2008), was named
Female Athlete of the Year by the IAAF in 2004, 2005 and 2008, and World
Sportswoman of the Year in 2007 and 2009.
On 22 July 2005 she became the first woman to clear the historic
5.00m barrier. At the age of 27 Isinbayeva has been a nine-time major
champion (Olympic, World outdoor and indoor champion and European
outdoor and indoor champion).
- Dinesh
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