Yelena Nikolayeva celebrates after 20km Walk victory (© Getty Images)
Paris, France There is little left for World 20km champion Yelena Nikolayeva to prove.
She has won everything there is to win, and at the age of 37 she could be forgiven for hanging up her racing shoes and settling for a relaxing retirement. But the bad news for the rest of the world’s leading walkers is that the Russian has no plans to do so.
Instead, she plans to chase a third Olympic medal in Athens next year and on the evidence of today’s victory in the women’s 20km Race Walk there are few who can hope to deny her in the Greek capital.
She says: “I may be 37, but you can see from today I am still healthy and fit, so perhaps I will try to regain my Olympic title next year. My plan today was to use the same tactics that brought me that Olympic gold medal in Atlanta, by trying to escape from my rivals.”
It is amazing that the world’s most successful female walker in history had failed to win on any of her six previous World Championships, and you have to take with a pinch of salt her claim that she was looking to finish in the first eight!
Make no mistake about it, the world road 10km best-holder was in Paris to win and when she broke away around 8km she soon took control. Even so, she admits: “I was no sure I would win until the very last moment. You can never be certain in race walking because of the possibilities of disqualifications.
“I was disqualified two years ago in Edmonton so it was a dream come true to finally become World champion today. It was not easy but I try to ignore the pressure and give it my all. I really wanted it badly. Being Olympic champion in 1996 was one thing, but now being World champion is a great feeling. My only regret is that nobody handed me a Russian flag when I finished.”
Explaining her mood going into the race, she said: “The six previous World Championships I competed in are in the past. I had to forget about them and concentrate on winning today and I knew I was in good shape coming here. Obviously it became easier for me when Olimpiada Ivanova (the defending champion) dropped out early. I could see she had a problem with her hamstring and I really felt for her. It would have been great if we had two Russians on the podium but it was not to be.
“I know how she feels. I had a serious injury before Sydney so could not try to defend my title. It is something we all go through, but if I can stay fit and healthy then Athens next year is a possibility.”
