Rio 2016: Legendary pole-vaulter Isinbayeva to retire
Olympic pole-vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva will hold a press conference in Rio to announce her retirement. / Korea Times file
By Lee Jin-a
Two-time Olympic pole-vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia will announce her retirement from the sport this week, according to Russian news agency TASS.
The agency said the legendary pole-vaulter will hold a press conference in Rio de Janeiro at 1 p.m. Friday (local time) to make the official announcement.
Isinbayeva, 34, holds the world record of 5.06 meters and is considered the best female pole-vaulter ever because she has broken her record 28 times. But she was unable to participate in the Rio Games due to the International Olympic Committee’s blanket ban on Russian track and field athletes who were accused of systematic doping violations. Isinbayeva claims her innocence.
“I will never agree with the fact that they banned me,” she said in Rio. “I will never forgive that.” Isinbayeva also said whoever wins the gold medal can only be second best because she did not participate.
She arrived in Rio on Monday as a candidate for the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission.
Isinbayeva has won two Olympic gold medals (2004 and 2008) and the World Championship three times (2005, 2007 and 2013).