Olympics Results and Comments
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 2:11 am
Women's Pole Vault : Comments from ISINBAYEVA, FEOFANOVA (RUS) 25 Aug. 2004
Yelena ISINBAYEVA (RUS)- Gold medal
On how she feels as an Olympic Champion
"It means a lot. It was my goal of my career. If you asked me what would I
prefer, the Olympic gold medal or the world record, it would be the
Olympic gold medal. The Olympic Games is every four years and I don't know
if I will be still competing on 2008, maybe yes I will, maybe not. But you
can break the world record whenever you like"
On what she was thinking after her two failed attempts at 4.80
"I was very unhappy, dissatisfied with myself. There are moments in your
life that you say there is nothing you can do. And then you think of all
you have suffered to get to the gold medal. When you are the favorite and
you have achieved what I have, you are not satisfied with the silver or
the bronze. I am not boastful, but I'm not used to losing. For me it's all
or nothing".
On what she is saying to herself before every attempt
"It's something I cannot say, I want to keep it to myself. With so many
cameras near our faces we have no privacy at all"
On what she will buy with the bonuses she gets for the world records she
achieved this year
"A yacht. I'd really like to buy a car too. But I don't have the money
yet, so I don't really know".
On how she feels compared with Sydney when she didn't qualify to the final
"I was very young, without any experience. I competed twice and then I
went to Sydney for the Olympic Games. It was difficult, I didn't even
have my coach, he arrived when I had finished"
Svetlana FEOFAVOVA (RUS)- Silver medal
On why she was sad despite winning the silver medal
"I have the silver and I cannot do anything anymore because the
competition is over. The only thing I can say is that I am very tired"
On how does she feel compared with Sydney when she didn't qualify for the
final
"At Sydney I didn't have any experience. You can imagine how I felt
because I had never seen such a big stadium and with such a big crowd.
That made it very hard"
ONS rv/pg
World record for Isinbayeva
Tuesday 24 August 2004
Athens, Greece - The best in the world and reportedly the bitterest of
rivals, Svetlana Feofanova and Yelena Isinbayeva have so much in common.
Both former gymnasts, both multiple record breakers. Both Russian. Between
them they have broken eight World records, indoors and out, this year
alone. Both said earlier in the season that it would take another one to
win here.
First World record at Olympics since 1996
It didn’t. But we got one anyway. After a titanic battle in which the lead
switched backwards and forwards, with each of the two protagonists
straining at elimination, it was Isinbayeva, the younger and taller of the
two who took the second ever women’s Olympic Pole Vault record.
Her winning height was 4.85, an Olympic record by 25 centimetres. And
then, three hours 20 minutes after the competition started, she cleared
4.91, one centimetre above her existing World record. It is the first
World record at an Olympic Games since Michael Johnson ran that incredible
9.32 200m in Atlanta.
Feofanova took the silver, with 4.75, and Poland’s Anna Rogoswka beat her
teammate Monika Pyrek to the bronze, clearing 4.70, a centimetre below her
Polish record.
Nearly 'only' a bronze
It all sounds so straight forward. But Isinbayeva came desperately close
to wininng only the bronze.
The final, held in a virtually windless stadium, was always likely to be
of high quality as it included four of the ten best vaulters ever.
An Olympic record was virtually guaranteed, as Stacy Dragila’s winning
jump in 2000 was 4.60m, 30cm below the current World record. How quickly
the event has progressed in four years.
Only five bothered with the opening height of 4.00m, and all cleared.
Germany’s Silke Spiegelburg was the first to fail, at 4.20, a height which
also caused problems for Spain’s Dana Cervantes and Argentina’s Alejandra
Garcia. Cervantes was the first to go out, at a height 26cm below her
best.
The two Russians spent most of the opening rounds lying on their backs
with their feet on the seats. Occasionally, one of them would get to their
feet and begin to prowl around the ‘D’ at the end of the stadium below the
Olympic flame. Isinbayeva wrapped a Russian flag around her waste and had
a white cap pulled low over her forehead.
Feofanova began her campaign at 4.40 and cleared easily, although she
wasn’t happy, and walked back down the runway shaking her head. Isinbayeva
was much happier, sailing over some half a metre clear and blowing kisses
to the crowd.
The two Poles, Rogoswka and Pyrek, and Ukraine’s Anzhela Balakhonova also
cleared easily, but by the time the bar moved up to 4.55 there were still
12 vaulters left in the competition (unusually, 15 had started).
Feofanova appeared happier with her second vault, and raised her arm,
rather stoically, to acknowledge the crowd’s applause. Isinbayeva, the
more demonstrative of the two, brought a louder roar. Again she was well
clear, and already looking more impressive, more at ease.
Pyrek also looked good, although Rogoswka, who took Pyrek’s national
record this year, needed three attempts to stay in the competition.
Otherwise, this was the height where Olympic dreams began to run aground.
Five went out.
As the bar went up to 4.65, beyond the existing Olympic record, there were
only five women left in. Suddenly, things were serious and medals were on
the line.
Rogoswka went first and cleared first time. The Olympic record was in her
hands. Briefly. Then Iceland’s Thorey Elisdottir had a bad miss, almost
landing in the pit. She failed her second too, knocking the bar with her
knees as she rose. Bravely, she passed her third attempt. Her best ever is
4.60 and now she had to clear 4.70 to match her compatriot Vala
Flosadottir’s bronze in Sydney.
Feofanova cleared easily, but Isinbayeva, now directly following her rival
almost made a mistake and was lucky not to hit the bar on the way up. She
knew it too, patting her heart in a gesture of relief as she stood up on
the mat. Pyrek, who has jumped 4.67 this year, went out but her third
effort was desperately close. Now there were four left, with the two
Russians in poll position.
Rogowska kept the pressure on by again clearing 4.70 first time.
Elisdottir’s moment came and went. She hit the bar on the way up, leaving
Rogowska and the two Russians with the medals. Now it was just about the
colour.
Clearing 4.70m has been easy stuff for Feofanova and Isinbayeva in recent
years, but the pressure of the big event was having its effect. Feofanova,
becoming more animated with each vault, cleared again, clenching her fists
in celebration. Then, in the first big shock of the competition,
Isinbayeva failed. She was way above the bar but had mistimed her effort
and fell on it as she descended.
The initiative was now with Feofanova, so Isinbayeva passed. Clearly
rattled she re-prepared herself, untying and retying her pony tail and
repeatedly visiting her coach in the crowd for advice.
Rogowska, first to vault, brought the bar down with her torso. Nerves were
begining to play their part now. Feofanova failed too. It was Isinbayeva’s
chance to regain the upper hand. But the composure just wasn’t there and
she brought the bar down with her arm.
Rogowska was closer with her second, but went out of the competition.
Feofanova cleared, so Isinbayeva passed again. She hadn’t cleared a height
since 4.65. Rogowska had a medal and if Isinbayeva failed at 4.80 it would
be silver.
Feofanova first. She failed. Isinbayeva had one chance. She raised the
pole to the sky, mumbled a few words to herself and set off. Over. She put
her face in her hands, almost in tears at the relief. She had the silver
at least.
Feofanova’s face was a picture. Now, all the pressure returned to her. She
put the bar up to 4.85, attempting to induce another failure from her
compatriot. But Isinbayeva, her poise returned, cleared with the kind of
style she’s shown all season. Now Feofanova had just one left. She put the
bar up again, to 4.90 – World record height.
Isinbayeva sat with a towel on her head, unable to look. But Feofanova
wasn’t even close, falling under the bar.
Isinbayeva leapt to her feet, smiling again. All that remained was that
World record. It was her fifth outdoors, eighth in total.
Matthew Brown for the IAAF
Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 20:55
Pos Athlete Country Mark
1 Isinbayeva Yelena RUS 4.91 (WR)
2 Feofanova Svetlana RUS 4.75
3 Rogowska Anna POL 4.70
4 Pyrek Monika POL 4.55
5 Elisdóttir Thórey Edda ISL 4.55
6 Boslak Vanessa FRA 4.40
6 Balakhonova Anzhela UKR 4.40
6 Agirre Naroa ESP 4.40
6 Ellis Dana CAN 4.40
10 McCann Stephanie CAN 4.40 (=SB)
11 Hamácková Pavla CZE 4.40
12 Badurová Katerina CZE 4.20
13 GarcÃÂa Alejandra ARG 4.20
13 Spiegelburg Silke GER 4.20
Cervantes Dana ESP NM
Athlete 4.00 4.20 4.40 4.55 4.65 4.70 4.75 4.80 4.85 4.90 4.91
Isinbayeva Yelena - - o o o x x o o - o
Feofanova Svetlana - - o o o o xo x x x
Rogowska Anna - o o xxo o o xxx
Pyrek Monika - o o o xxx
Elisdóttir Thórey Edda - o xxo xo xx x
Boslak Vanessa - o o xxx
Agirre Naroa o o o xxx
Ellis Dana - o o xxx
Balakhonova Anzhela - o o xxx
McCann Stephanie - xo o xxx
Hamácková Pavla o o xxo xxx
Badurová Katerina o xo xxx
Spiegelburg Silke o xxo xxx
GarcÃÂa Alejandra o xxo xxx
Yelena ISINBAYEVA (RUS)- Gold medal
On how she feels as an Olympic Champion
"It means a lot. It was my goal of my career. If you asked me what would I
prefer, the Olympic gold medal or the world record, it would be the
Olympic gold medal. The Olympic Games is every four years and I don't know
if I will be still competing on 2008, maybe yes I will, maybe not. But you
can break the world record whenever you like"
On what she was thinking after her two failed attempts at 4.80
"I was very unhappy, dissatisfied with myself. There are moments in your
life that you say there is nothing you can do. And then you think of all
you have suffered to get to the gold medal. When you are the favorite and
you have achieved what I have, you are not satisfied with the silver or
the bronze. I am not boastful, but I'm not used to losing. For me it's all
or nothing".
On what she is saying to herself before every attempt
"It's something I cannot say, I want to keep it to myself. With so many
cameras near our faces we have no privacy at all"
On what she will buy with the bonuses she gets for the world records she
achieved this year
"A yacht. I'd really like to buy a car too. But I don't have the money
yet, so I don't really know".
On how she feels compared with Sydney when she didn't qualify to the final
"I was very young, without any experience. I competed twice and then I
went to Sydney for the Olympic Games. It was difficult, I didn't even
have my coach, he arrived when I had finished"
Svetlana FEOFAVOVA (RUS)- Silver medal
On why she was sad despite winning the silver medal
"I have the silver and I cannot do anything anymore because the
competition is over. The only thing I can say is that I am very tired"
On how does she feel compared with Sydney when she didn't qualify for the
final
"At Sydney I didn't have any experience. You can imagine how I felt
because I had never seen such a big stadium and with such a big crowd.
That made it very hard"
ONS rv/pg
World record for Isinbayeva
Tuesday 24 August 2004
Athens, Greece - The best in the world and reportedly the bitterest of
rivals, Svetlana Feofanova and Yelena Isinbayeva have so much in common.
Both former gymnasts, both multiple record breakers. Both Russian. Between
them they have broken eight World records, indoors and out, this year
alone. Both said earlier in the season that it would take another one to
win here.
First World record at Olympics since 1996
It didn’t. But we got one anyway. After a titanic battle in which the lead
switched backwards and forwards, with each of the two protagonists
straining at elimination, it was Isinbayeva, the younger and taller of the
two who took the second ever women’s Olympic Pole Vault record.
Her winning height was 4.85, an Olympic record by 25 centimetres. And
then, three hours 20 minutes after the competition started, she cleared
4.91, one centimetre above her existing World record. It is the first
World record at an Olympic Games since Michael Johnson ran that incredible
9.32 200m in Atlanta.
Feofanova took the silver, with 4.75, and Poland’s Anna Rogoswka beat her
teammate Monika Pyrek to the bronze, clearing 4.70, a centimetre below her
Polish record.
Nearly 'only' a bronze
It all sounds so straight forward. But Isinbayeva came desperately close
to wininng only the bronze.
The final, held in a virtually windless stadium, was always likely to be
of high quality as it included four of the ten best vaulters ever.
An Olympic record was virtually guaranteed, as Stacy Dragila’s winning
jump in 2000 was 4.60m, 30cm below the current World record. How quickly
the event has progressed in four years.
Only five bothered with the opening height of 4.00m, and all cleared.
Germany’s Silke Spiegelburg was the first to fail, at 4.20, a height which
also caused problems for Spain’s Dana Cervantes and Argentina’s Alejandra
Garcia. Cervantes was the first to go out, at a height 26cm below her
best.
The two Russians spent most of the opening rounds lying on their backs
with their feet on the seats. Occasionally, one of them would get to their
feet and begin to prowl around the ‘D’ at the end of the stadium below the
Olympic flame. Isinbayeva wrapped a Russian flag around her waste and had
a white cap pulled low over her forehead.
Feofanova began her campaign at 4.40 and cleared easily, although she
wasn’t happy, and walked back down the runway shaking her head. Isinbayeva
was much happier, sailing over some half a metre clear and blowing kisses
to the crowd.
The two Poles, Rogoswka and Pyrek, and Ukraine’s Anzhela Balakhonova also
cleared easily, but by the time the bar moved up to 4.55 there were still
12 vaulters left in the competition (unusually, 15 had started).
Feofanova appeared happier with her second vault, and raised her arm,
rather stoically, to acknowledge the crowd’s applause. Isinbayeva, the
more demonstrative of the two, brought a louder roar. Again she was well
clear, and already looking more impressive, more at ease.
Pyrek also looked good, although Rogoswka, who took Pyrek’s national
record this year, needed three attempts to stay in the competition.
Otherwise, this was the height where Olympic dreams began to run aground.
Five went out.
As the bar went up to 4.65, beyond the existing Olympic record, there were
only five women left in. Suddenly, things were serious and medals were on
the line.
Rogoswka went first and cleared first time. The Olympic record was in her
hands. Briefly. Then Iceland’s Thorey Elisdottir had a bad miss, almost
landing in the pit. She failed her second too, knocking the bar with her
knees as she rose. Bravely, she passed her third attempt. Her best ever is
4.60 and now she had to clear 4.70 to match her compatriot Vala
Flosadottir’s bronze in Sydney.
Feofanova cleared easily, but Isinbayeva, now directly following her rival
almost made a mistake and was lucky not to hit the bar on the way up. She
knew it too, patting her heart in a gesture of relief as she stood up on
the mat. Pyrek, who has jumped 4.67 this year, went out but her third
effort was desperately close. Now there were four left, with the two
Russians in poll position.
Rogowska kept the pressure on by again clearing 4.70 first time.
Elisdottir’s moment came and went. She hit the bar on the way up, leaving
Rogowska and the two Russians with the medals. Now it was just about the
colour.
Clearing 4.70m has been easy stuff for Feofanova and Isinbayeva in recent
years, but the pressure of the big event was having its effect. Feofanova,
becoming more animated with each vault, cleared again, clenching her fists
in celebration. Then, in the first big shock of the competition,
Isinbayeva failed. She was way above the bar but had mistimed her effort
and fell on it as she descended.
The initiative was now with Feofanova, so Isinbayeva passed. Clearly
rattled she re-prepared herself, untying and retying her pony tail and
repeatedly visiting her coach in the crowd for advice.
Rogowska, first to vault, brought the bar down with her torso. Nerves were
begining to play their part now. Feofanova failed too. It was Isinbayeva’s
chance to regain the upper hand. But the composure just wasn’t there and
she brought the bar down with her arm.
Rogowska was closer with her second, but went out of the competition.
Feofanova cleared, so Isinbayeva passed again. She hadn’t cleared a height
since 4.65. Rogowska had a medal and if Isinbayeva failed at 4.80 it would
be silver.
Feofanova first. She failed. Isinbayeva had one chance. She raised the
pole to the sky, mumbled a few words to herself and set off. Over. She put
her face in her hands, almost in tears at the relief. She had the silver
at least.
Feofanova’s face was a picture. Now, all the pressure returned to her. She
put the bar up to 4.85, attempting to induce another failure from her
compatriot. But Isinbayeva, her poise returned, cleared with the kind of
style she’s shown all season. Now Feofanova had just one left. She put the
bar up again, to 4.90 – World record height.
Isinbayeva sat with a towel on her head, unable to look. But Feofanova
wasn’t even close, falling under the bar.
Isinbayeva leapt to her feet, smiling again. All that remained was that
World record. It was her fifth outdoors, eighth in total.
Matthew Brown for the IAAF
Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 20:55
Pos Athlete Country Mark
1 Isinbayeva Yelena RUS 4.91 (WR)
2 Feofanova Svetlana RUS 4.75
3 Rogowska Anna POL 4.70
4 Pyrek Monika POL 4.55
5 Elisdóttir Thórey Edda ISL 4.55
6 Boslak Vanessa FRA 4.40
6 Balakhonova Anzhela UKR 4.40
6 Agirre Naroa ESP 4.40
6 Ellis Dana CAN 4.40
10 McCann Stephanie CAN 4.40 (=SB)
11 Hamácková Pavla CZE 4.40
12 Badurová Katerina CZE 4.20
13 GarcÃÂa Alejandra ARG 4.20
13 Spiegelburg Silke GER 4.20
Cervantes Dana ESP NM
Athlete 4.00 4.20 4.40 4.55 4.65 4.70 4.75 4.80 4.85 4.90 4.91
Isinbayeva Yelena - - o o o x x o o - o
Feofanova Svetlana - - o o o o xo x x x
Rogowska Anna - o o xxo o o xxx
Pyrek Monika - o o o xxx
Elisdóttir Thórey Edda - o xxo xo xx x
Boslak Vanessa - o o xxx
Agirre Naroa o o o xxx
Ellis Dana - o o xxx
Balakhonova Anzhela - o o xxx
McCann Stephanie - xo o xxx
Hamácková Pavla o o xxo xxx
Badurová Katerina o xo xxx
Spiegelburg Silke o xxo xxx
GarcÃÂa Alejandra o xxo xxx