Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva celebrates after winning the gold medal in the women’s pole vault. (AP-Yonhap News)
ISTANBUL (AP) ― Yelena Isinbayeva was humbled this time.
Over the years, the Russian pole vaulter had won so much and set so many records that she said she lost the value of success. Then came a long slump, and now she has fresh appreciation for what it means to win a competition even without a world record.
“The main problem was that, for me, victory was like nothing special at all,” Isinbayeva said after winning the gold medal Sunday at the world indoor championships with just two jumps. “To set a world record: ‘Ah, it’s easy.’ No, it’s not. It’s really difficult.”
The Russian set a world record of 16 feet, 5 1/4 inches last month and failed to improve that after clinching gold. It was Isinbayeva’s fourth indoor world title but her first in four years. During the drought, she also lost her world outdoor title.
“I was waiting for this victory like a mother is waiting to give birth to her baby,” Isinbayeva said. “The last three years showed me how important it is for me to win.”
She won the title at the Atakoy Arena with a height of 15-9, which she cleared with the ease she has so often shown during her career.
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
