Russian pole vaulter, two-time Olympic gold medalist and the first woman to clear 5 metres in pole vault.
Background
Born in Volgograd, Russia, Yelena Isinbayeva started as an artistic gymnast before switching to pole vault at age 15 when her growing height made gymnastics less viable.
Career
She won her first World Championship in 2005 and her first Olympic gold in 2004 in Athens. She raised the women’s pole vault world record from 4.83 m to 5.06 m across more than a decade.
Style of play
A short-runup, technical pole vaulter, Isinbayeva was known for high pole grip and a strong inversion phase, allowing her to clear bars at heights well above those of contemporaries her size.
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