After extending her own world outdoor record to 5.03 meters earlier in 2008, Yelena Isinbayeva extended it even further at the Beijing Olympic Games, winning the gold with a leap of 5.05 meters (16 feet, 6.8 inches). Isinbayeva broke the world indoor record in February, 2009 by clearing 5.00 meters (16 feet, 4 ¾ inches). She struggled through the 2009 outdoor season before shockingly no-heighting in the World Championships, then rebounded by breaking her outdoor record in August, leaping 5.06/16-7¼.
From gymnast to vaulter:
Isinbayeva began her athletic life as a gymnast, training in the sport from age five through 15, when she was considered too tall for gymnastics. Her height and strength are beneficial for pole vaulting, however. Meanwhile, her gymnastic skills didn’t go to waste – the body control she learned is particularly helpful at the top of her vault.
Broken record:
Isinbayeva is so dominating that her main measuring stick is often her own past performance. Her 5.06-meter vault in 2009 marked the 27th time she set a world pole vault record.
Career highlights:
Isinbayeva was unbeaten in major world competition from 2004-08. She won the gold at the Athens Olympics, the 2004 through 2008 World Indoor Championships plus the 2005 and ’07 World Outdoor Championships.
The stats:
- Height: 5-9
- Weight: 146
- Age: 26
- Birth date: June 3, 1982
- Hometown: Volgograd, Russia
- World Championships: Five
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