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19:43 09.07.2008 - Athletics - Third stage of the Golden League of Athletics-2008
The third stage of the Golden League in Rome will feature ten Russian athletes, led by Yelena Isinbaeva

The third stage of the prestigious "Golden League" athletics series – the Golden Gala tournament in Rome on July 11th – will feature ten Russian athletes, led by Olympic, World and European champion, world record holder in the women’s pole vault Yelena Isinbaeva. So reports the special correspondent of the Agency of Sport Information "All Sport".

All five aspirants for the "Golden League" jackpot - one million dollars - will compete in Rome. Bershawn Jackson (USA, 400H), Hussain Al-Sabee (Saudi Arabia, LJ), Josephine Oniya (Spain, 100H), Pamela Jelimo (Kenya, 800) and Blanka Vlasic (Croatia, HJ) have already won two stages and continue to pursue the jackpot. The luckiest in Rome is Oniya, whose chief rivals, Swede Susanna Kallur and new U.S. champion Lolo Jones, did not come to the tournament. American Sanya Richards, who last year split the series jackpot with Yelena Isinbaeva, will make her first "Golden League" start after her 400 meter victory in the US Championships, although in Rome Richards will run the 200.

Of the Russians, Olympic Games, World and European champion Yelena Isinbaeva will be making her first start of the summer season. While the women’s pole vault is not involved in the jackpot competition this time, plenty of strong rivals for Isinbaeva have been selected – compatriots Svetlana Feofanova, Yulia Golubchikova, and Tatyana Polnova, as well as Monika Pyrek and Anna Rogowska from Poland. However, the world leader this season, the American Jenny Stuczynski*, after recently winning the US Championships with a jump of 4.92, did not have time to come to Rome. Olympic high jump champion Yelena Slesarenko, together with 2007 World Cup silver medalist Anna Chicherova will go up against Blanka Vlasic from Croatia, who has been undefeated for more than a year.

All Russian participants in the third stage of the "Golden League" Golden Gala in Rome

Andrey Farnosov (3000 steeplechase), Sergey Makarov (Javelin), Olga Komyagina (5000 m), Anna Chicherova, Yelena Slesarenko, Tatyana Kivimyagi (all HJ), Yelena Isinbaeva, Svetlana Feofanova, Yulia Golubchikova, Tatyana Polnova (all PV).

18:02 09.07.2008 - Athletics - Third stage of the Golden League of Athletics-2008
Yulia Golubchikova: My most vivid memory from Rome – how right before my eyes Pitkämäki’s javelin hit the French long jumper

On July 11th, one of the leading Russian pole vaulters, Yulia Golubchikova, will take part in a stage of the "Golden League" for the first time this season, at the Golden Gala in Rome. Yulia Golubchikova tells the special correspondent of the Agency of Sport Information "All Sport" that her target is a result of no less than 4.70 m.

“Now I’m in outstanding shape, just excellent,” Yulia Golubchikova laughed. “In late June, at the European Cup in Annecy France, I set a personal outdoor record - 4.73 m. In the winter, I jumped even higher - 4.75 m. Also in Annecy, for the second time in my life I attempted 4.80 in competition, but thus far it’s been too high. Rome will be my sixth start of the summer. In fact, this is very few. Last year I made 23 summer starts! For me, the more starts, the better. But this year, since our event isn’t included in the "Golden League", there’s been almost no competition at all. If they’d give me somewhere to jump, I’d jump (laughing)! In Rome I’ll be satisfied if I can clear 4.70 or higher. Last year, if I’m not mistaken, I jumped 4.60 here, so now want to improve my result. But really, my most vivid memory from last year is how practically right before my eyes, the Finn Tero Pitkämäki’s javelin hit the French long jumper Salim Sdiri. We have intersecting runways with the long jumpers. When the Frenchman was hit, really I turned away, and I only saw everything later, on the replay in the stadium. But my coach Oleg Diazdinov saw it all. Things came out badly then, and it’s a shame that both the long jumpers’ and our competition were suspended for 20 minutes because of this incident.”

annagb wrote:I will watch the meeting on television tomorrow...

Thursday, 10 July 2008
Isinbayeva and Vlasic deny the pressure of Beijing expectations - ÅF Golden League, Rome

Related News Rome, Italy – Yelena Isinbayeva and Blanka Vlasic, two of the greatest ever exponents of jumping, did their very best to relax at today’s press conference held ahead of tomorrow’s ‘28th Golden Gala Kinder+Sport’, the third fixture of the six meet ÅF Golden League 2008.

With the Olympic Games looming they expelled any notion that they were under pressure and explained how they combat the expectations of others.

Olympic and World Pole Vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS)

2007 Golden League Jackpot winner

To the surprise of the room the Russian World record holder in the women’s Pole Vault gave her first answers in fluent Italian which led to round of applause from the packed press conference room.

Isinbayeva’s time training in Formia, Italy, has paid off linguistically but it will only be tomorrow that we will discover if her competitive form has benefitted similarly in what will be her first meeting of this outdoor season.

Why such a late start to the season?

“I usually start my season in July, so I have not begun any later than usual. Last year only because of the Golden League I started in June but this year the Pole Vault is not one of the Jackpot events and so I am following my normal schedule.”

“I need two months to prepare (for a championship) and so while it’s late for many for me the beginning of July is good, it’s the perfect start.”

How have you been since we last saw you compete in Valencia?

“This year I feel much better than last, and also much better than this winter (indoor season). I do not know what happened to me in Valencia (retained World Indoor title) as I was ready to set a new World indoor record. It was not a technical problem, it was a psychological problem I guess?!”

But this summer I am composed and confident, and looking forward to starting my season tomorrow and keeping at a high level all year.”

Psychological problem? Well, I don’t mean by that there was anything especially wrong with me, perhaps I was just extra nervous (in Valencia), I felt the pressure more, because I had to defend my title and everyone as always expected me to win with a world record. This for some reason disturbed me more than ever but now I am fine.”

Your rivals are coming closer to 5m, does this concern you?

“I am happy that my rivals are so high this year as it will help me to jump much higher this year. It doesn’t disturb me.”

“Remember there are many men who jump 6m to 6.04m which brings them very close to 6.15 (outright world record) but while they are close its doesn’t mean they are ever likely to jump 6.15m!”

Pressure of Olympics?

“The Russian (Athletics) Federation President Valentin Balakhnichev once said to me about pressure: ‘Its just important to stay quiet, be quiet and just do your job as good as you can’, and that advice has always been very good for me. I know everyone believes in me but I do not let them rush or push me.”

“I will go to Fukuoka with the Swedish team to prepare for two weeks before Beijing, coming to the Games only on 14 August.”

16:37 10.07.2008 - Athletics - Third stage of the Golden League of Athletics-2008
Yelena Isinbaeva: For several months I literally didn’t leave the stadium!

Today, July 10th, the Olympic, World and European champion, and world record holder in the women’s pole vault, Russia’s Yelena Isinbaeva came into her first press conference of the season in Rome, on the eve of the third stage of the "Golden League", looking tanned in a bright T-shirt, and delivering a brief greeting in Italian to the enthusiastic applause of the local public. Even the reserved Croat Blanka Vlasic sitting alongside looked on with interest, unaccustomed as the undisputed world leader in high jumping with 32 successive victories, to being in the shadows. Yelena Isinbaeva shared her feelings prior to the start of her season with the special correspondent for the Agency of Sport Information "All Sport".

-- Lena, your rivals have been jumping for quite awhile, why did you decide to open your season so late?
-- Actually, early July is normal for me, the usual time to open my season. Only because our event was part of the "Golden League" program, I had to come out in June last year. But now it’s so fortunate that I can open my season in Rome. Just two hours by car from my training base in Formia and here I am. And I have nothing but good memories of Rome. Last year I jumped 4.90 here, now I hope to go higher still. I have a lot of friends in Italy who are all gathering at the stadium tomorrow. I simply can’t let them down!

-- How were your preparations? Are you really ready to better your best result of last season in your first start?
-- My training went very well – for several months I literally didn’t leave the stadium (laughing). My coach Vitaly Afanasevich Petrov and I haven’t changed anything fundamental, but worked quite a lot on my technique and physical conditioning. I feel great - well prepared and self-confident. Let's see how it turns out in the competition.

-- At the recent U.S. championships Jenny Stuczynski was quite surprising. Her 4.92 isn’t so much below your world record - 5.01. Are you worried?
-- Absolutely not. For example, recently one American jumped 6.04 [Brad Walker – editor]. This too seems like only about ten centimeters below Sergey Bubka’s world record of 6.15. But you know, it’s one thing to talk, and quite another to really clear that height.

-- So you still don’t view Stuczynski as a serious rival?
-- Oh no, I respect everyone who comes into the sector. A strong rival for me provides extra motivation to train more and perform better. I’m always glad when my competitors jump high. Thus, they help me to progress.

-- There’s less than a month until the Olympics in Beijing. Where will you be preparing?
-- Vitaly Afanasevich and I will hold a two-week training session in Fukuoka, Japan, along with the Swedish national team. We’ll arrive in China on Aug. 14th, two days before the start of qualifications. This is the same pattern we followed to get ready for last year’s world championships in Osaka, and everything worked out. I hope this time everything will be just the same or even better (laughing).

...

When those leading the press conference stated that Isinbaeva can easily speak with reporters in Italian, it seemed a good joke. That is until Yelena, with a noticeable accent, but in fluent Italian nevertheless, gave her opening address. "Bravissimo, Yelena!" The entire room broke into applause, somehow causing Isinbaeva’s cheeks to glow.

“Last year I didn’t do badly here,” said Yelena, switching to English. “I won and set the competition record at 4.90. Tomorrow I’ll try to jump at least no lower.”

...

- We ask the question previously posed to Blanka. How much pressure is on you in Russia?

“You know, I recently talked with our president… I’m referring to Russian Athletics Federation President Valentin Balakhnichev. He gave me simple but very important words. Lena dear, you’re a normal girl; no one expects miracles from you. Just do good work. I liked this advice. It’s very nice when everyone believes in you, but no one puts on pressure.”

Later, when the conversation with reporters spontaneously moved from the conference hall to the chairs arranged around the pool, Isinbaeva revealed that she also hasn’t forgotten Russian during her stay in Italy.

“My opening speech, of course, wasn’t impromptu. I prepared it in advance,” Yelena frankly admitted. “Italy is not at all a foreign country to me, and I wanted to express this in some way. Speaking exclusively in Italian is still difficult, but I’m making progress.”

"VLASIC PEOPLE" SPY ON SLESARENKO

Here I am, hiding from the scorching sun, when I’m joined by warm "Vlasic people" - her coach Boyan and manager Harry, with whom I became friends in April, when at the IAAF’s invitation I went to visit Vlasic in Split. “How’s Yelena Slesarenko doing there? Where will she compete prior to Beijing? How come there’s so little information about her? What’s she hiding? Look me in the eyes!” In such a tense situation, you can see how I was unable to make a joke in reply. I had to tell them the truth: “Slesarenko’s getting ready for a world record and will undoubtedly set it in Beijing.”

“After Rome Blanka will appear at the Golden League in Paris, then in Stockholm and London,” Boyan Marinovich said. “After two weeks back home, we’ll simulate the Olympic tournament. The plan is the same as before the world championships in Osaka, where Blanka won. I’m confident that in Beijing, like in Osaka, the gold will be contested at a height no lower than 2.05.”

Vlasic joined our group complaining of a headache earned from all the television cameras and sun exposure.

“Are you friends with Isinbaeva?” I asked her, since during the press conference they repeatedly whispered to each other about something. “Well, I wouldn’t call our relation friendship in the conventional sense, but we get along well. We’ve already attended so many press conferences together that there’s no harm in being friendly.”