Yelena Isinbayeva, the Female World Athlete of the Year has about done everything in her event that she could possibly have dreamed about in 2004. Now after being feted by her fellow Russians since her return from Greece she will shortly have the honour of formally meeting President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The 22 year-old Russian pole vaulter from Volgograd has set eight World records this year (three indoors), one of which helped her to secure the World Indoor Championship crown in Budapest, and another the Olympic title in Athens. This catalogue of achievements led to her being named, along with Olympic 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia, as World Athletes of the Year on 19 September at the 2004 World Athletics Gala in Monte-Carlo.
As a personal reward to herself for all her hard work Isinbayeva has since bought herself a BMW - X3 car and is now taking a very well earned rest, and since 22 October has been on holiday in Belek in Turkey and will return on 2 November. She is holidaying with her friend Marina Kuptsova, the World and European outdoor High Jump silver medallist who is recovering well after Achilles surgery that took place back in May.
On her return to Volograd, Isinbayeva will step back into the whirl of awards and receptions which since Athens have seen her attending at a reception hosted by the Governor of Volograd on 2 October, and more lately winning a SportStar Award from Eurosport in Lausanne on 18 October.
Yet the best and most prestigious occasion is yet to come because Isinbayeva with other members of the Russian Olympic team will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin in Moscow on 4 November.
Chris Turner for the IAAF
Yelena Isinbayeva is currently number one in the IAAF World Rankings for her event, and also tops the Overall Ranking.
