Yelena Isinbayeva facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Yelena Isinbayeva

Isinbayeva in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Yelena Gadzhievna Isinbayeva
Nationality	Russian
Born	(1982-06-03) 3 June 1982 (age 43) Volgograd, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Weight	65 kg (143 lb)
Sport
Country	Russia
Sport	Women's athletics
Event(s)	Pole vault
Club	CSKA Moscow
Coached by	Yevgeny Trofimov Vitaly Petrov
Retired	20 August 2016
Achievements and titles
World finals	Outdoor: 2003, 2005, 2007 Indoor: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008
Regional finals	Outdoor: 2002, 2006 Indoor: 2005
Olympic finals	2004, 2008
Highest world ranking	1st (2005–2009)
Personal best(s)	Outdoor: 5.06 WR (2009) indoor: 5.01 ER (2012)
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 2 0 1 World Championships 3 0 1 World Indoor Championships 4 1 0 World Cup 1 0 0 European Championships 1 1 0 European Indoor Championships 1 0 0 European U23 Championships 1 0 0 World Junior Championships 1 0 0 European Junior Championships 1 0 0 World Youth Championships 1 0 0 Olympic Games Gold 2004 Athens Pole vault Gold 2008 Beijing Pole vault Bronze 2012 London Pole vault World Championships Gold 2005 Helsinki Pole vault Gold 2007 Osaka Pole vault Gold 2013 Moscow Pole vault Bronze 2003 Paris Pole vault World Indoor Championships Gold 2004 Budapest Pole vault Gold 2006 Moscow Pole vault Gold 2008 Valencia Pole vault Gold 2012 Istanbul Pole vault Silver 2003 Birmingham Pole vault World Cup Gold 2006 Athens Pole vault European Championships Gold 2006 Gothenburg Pole vault Silver 2002 Munich Pole vault European Indoor Championships Gold 2005 Madrid Pole vault European U23 Championships Gold 2003 Bydgoszcz Pole vault World Junior Championships Gold 2000 Santiago Pole vault European Junior Championships Gold 2001 Grosseto Pole vault World Youth Championships Gold 1999 Bydgoszcz Pole vault World Youth Games Gold 1998 Moscow Pole vault
Updated on 6 August 2012.

Yelena Gadzhievna Isinbayeva (Russian: Елена Гаджиевна Исинбаева; born 3 June 1982) is a famous Russian former pole vaulter. She is known as one of the greatest female pole-vaulters ever. Yelena won two Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2008. She was also a three-time World Champion in 2005, 2007, and 2013.

Yelena holds the current world record in pole vaulting. She was the first woman to jump over five meters in this sport. Her outdoor world record is 5.06 meters, set in 2009, and it is still unbroken today.

She won many major championships, including Olympic, World, and European titles. After some difficult competitions in 2009 and 2010, she took a break from the sport for a year. Yelena was named the best female athlete by the IAAF (the world athletics body) three times. She also won the World Sportswoman of the Year award twice.

Yelena's Amazing Career in Pole Vaulting

From Gymnastics to Pole Vault

Yelena Isinbayeva was born in Volgograd, Russia. She started training as a gymnast when she was only 5 years old. She continued gymnastics until she was 15. However, as she grew taller, she became too tall to compete well in gymnastics. Her height eventually reached 1.74 meters (about 5 feet 8 inches).

Just six months after she started pole-vaulting, Yelena won her first big competition. She was 16 years old and competed at the 1998 World Youth Games in Moscow, Russia. She jumped 4.00 meters, which was a great start!

Early Wins and Records

In 1999, Yelena improved her jump to 4.10 meters at the 1999 World Youth Championships in Athletics in Poland, winning another gold medal. The next year, at the 2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics, she won first place again, clearing 4.20 meters. This was a very exciting time for women's pole vaulting, as it became an Olympic event for the first time in Sydney, Australia.

Yelena continued to get better. In 2001, she won a gold medal at the European Junior Championships with a jump of 4.40 meters. In 2002, she won her first senior medal, a silver, at the 2002 European Athletics Championships, jumping 4.55 meters.

Setting World Records and Winning Olympic Gold

The year 2003 was a big year for Yelena. She won gold at the European Under 23 Championships with a jump of 4.65 meters. On July 13, 2003, just after her 21st birthday, Yelena set her first ever world record! She jumped 4.82 meters in England.

In 2004, Yelena kept breaking records. She set new indoor world records, and then in March, she won gold at the World Indoor Championships with a jump of 4.86 meters. This was a new world record at the time.

Later in 2004, Yelena broke the world record several more times. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, she won the gold medal with a new world record height of 4.91 meters. She broke the record again later that year with a 4.92-meter jump. Because she won the Olympic and World Indoor titles and broke the world record eight times, she was named the IAAF World Athlete of the Year.

Becoming World and European Champion

In 2005, Yelena continued her amazing streak. At the European Indoor Championships in Spain, she won gold with a new indoor world record of 4.90 meters.

In July 2005, Yelena made history by breaking her own world record four times in just three competitions. She kept adding centimeters to her record. On July 22, in London, she first jumped 4.96 meters. Then, she did something no woman had ever done before: she cleared the incredible 5.00-meter mark!

Yelena Isinbayeva being interviewed after her victory at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka.

At the 2005 World Championships in Athletics in Finland, Yelena broke her own world record again, jumping 5.01 meters. She won the competition by a huge margin. This was her 18th world record! For her incredible year, she won her second IAAF World Athlete of the Year award.

In 2006, Yelena set another indoor world record, clearing 4.91 meters. She also successfully defended her World Indoor title in Moscow. At the 2006 European Athletics Championships in Sweden, she won the gold medal, which was the only major gold medal she hadn't won yet. She also won the World Cup representing Russia.

More World and Olympic Gold Medals

Yelena continued to dominate in 2007. On February 10, she broke the world indoor pole vault record again, clearing 4.93 meters. This was her 20th world record! In August, she won her second World Championship in Osaka, Japan, with a jump of 4.80 meters. She was unbeatable in 2007, winning all 18 competitions she entered.

Yelena Isinbayeva passing the bar in Osaka

In 2008, Yelena set her 21st world record, clearing 4.95 meters indoors. A few weeks later, she won her third World Indoor Championship title. On July 11, she broke her own outdoor world record, clearing 5.03 meters. This showed everyone she was still the best. She then cleared 5.04 meters in Monaco, her 23rd world record.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing on August 18, Yelena won her second Olympic gold medal. She finished the competition with an amazing jump of 5.05 meters, setting her 24th world record! In November, she was named IAAF World Athlete of the Year for the third time.

Taking a Break and Returning to Compete

In competition at the World Championships in Berlin

Yelena started 2009 by becoming the first woman to jump over 5 meters indoors. She first cleared 4.97 meters, then jumped 5.00 meters. These records were set at a meet in Ukraine. She also received the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year again.

At the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Germany, Yelena had a rare setback and didn't record a successful jump. However, she quickly bounced back! She broke her own women's pole vault world record at a meeting in Switzerland, clearing 5.06 meters. This record is still the highest outdoor jump ever made by a woman.

Yelena Isinbayeva at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha

After another disappointing performance at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, Yelena decided to take a break from the sport. She said she needed time for her body to recover after many years of intense training and competing. She returned to competition in 2011, showing strong form.

In 2011, Yelena changed coaches and returned to her first mentor, Yevgeny Trofimov. She won a Diamond League meeting with a jump of 4.76 meters.

In 2012, she set another indoor world record, clearing 5.01 meters in Sweden. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, she won a bronze medal with a jump of 4.70 meters. She considered this a success and hoped to retire as an Olympic champion.

In 2016, Yelena made a world-leading jump of 4.90 meters at the Russian nationals. However, Russian track and field athletes were not allowed to compete in the Rio Olympics. This meant she couldn't compete for another Olympic gold. She then announced her retirement from athletics after being chosen to serve on the IOC's Athletes' Commission.

Yelena's Work Outside of Sports

Public Roles and Views

Yelena Isinbayeva with the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in 2009

In 2012, Yelena Isinbayeva became an official supporter for Vladimir Putin during the 2012 Russian presidential election. In 2017, she joined a social movement called PutinTeam to support his 2018 presidential campaign.

After the Court of Arbitration for Sport made a decision about Russian athletes, Yelena said that other athletes might be relieved that strong Russian competitors were not there. She also said that a person who reported problems with doping should be "banned for life."

When she became the head of the supervisory board for the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, some people expressed concern. They noted that Yelena had called a report about doping "groundless" without reading it. She had also criticized those who reported issues.

In 2013, Yelena caused some discussion when she spoke about homosexuality. She criticized athletes who supported LGBT rights and spoke in favor of a Russian law that banned "homosexual propaganda that targets children." This law had been criticized by many around the world. Yelena later said her words were "misunderstood" because her English was not perfect. She was an ambassador for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and welcomed athletes as the "mayor" of the Olympic Village.

Yelena's Personal Life

Yelena Isinbayeva receiving a promotion to the rank of major from the Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu (2015)

Yelena's father was a Tabasaran plumber, and her mother was Russian and worked in a shop. Yelena also has a sister named Inna. Yelena grew up in a family that didn't have a lot of money, and she remembers her parents making many sacrifices for her sports career.

She has two children: a daughter named Eva, born in 2014, and a son named Dobrynya, born in 2018. She married Eva's father, javelin thrower Nikita Petinov, in 2014. In 2014, while she was pregnant, Yelena was one of the final people to carry the torch for the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony.

Yelena has both a Bachelor's and a Master's Degree from the Volgograd State Academy of Physical Culture. She has also studied at the Donetsk National Technical University.

Yelena is an officer in the Russian army. She represents the military team in Russian club competitions. She was promoted to senior lieutenant in 2005, captain in 2008, and then to major in 2015. She signed a five-year contract with the Russian Armed Forces.

In 2010, Yelena gave a speech to FIFA delegates in Zürich, which helped Russia win the bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. She is also a member of the 'Champions for Peace' club, a group of famous athletes who work to promote peace through sport.

In 2023, it was reported that Yelena had become a Spanish citizen and owned properties in Spain.

Yelena's International Competitions

Yelena Isinbayeva celebrating her 2007 World Championships win.

Representing  Russia

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Result	Notes
1998	World Youth Games	Moscow, Russia	1st	4.00 m
	World Junior Championships	Annecy, France	9th	3.90 m
1999	World Youth Championships	Bydgoszcz, Poland	1st	4.10 m	WYR
	European Junior Championships	Riga, Latvia	5th	4.05 m
2000	World Junior Championships	Santiago, Chile	1st	4.20 m	WJR
2001	European Junior Championships	Grosseto, Italy	1st	4.40 m	CR
2002	European Championships	Munich, Germany	2nd	4.55 m
2003	World Indoor Championships	Birmingham, United Kingdom	2nd	4.60 m
	World Championships	Paris, France	3rd	4.65 m
	European U23 Championships	Bydgoszcz, Poland	1st	4.65 m	CR
2004	World Indoor Championships	Budapest, Hungary	1st	4.86 m	WR
	Summer Olympics	Athens, Greece	1st	4.91 m	WR
	IAAF World Athletics Final	Monte Carlo, Monaco	1st	4.83 m
2005	European Indoor Championships	Madrid, Spain	1st	4.90 m	WRi
	World Championships	Helsinki, Finland	1st	5.01 m	WR
	IAAF World Athletics Final	Monte Carlo, Monaco	1st	4.74 m
2006	World Indoor Championships	Moscow, Russia	1st	4.80 m
	European Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	1st	4.80 m	CR
	IAAF World Athletics Final	Stuttgart, Germany	1st	4.75 m
	World Cup	Athens, Greece	1st	4.60 m	CR
2007	World Championships	Osaka, Japan	1st	4.80 m
	IAAF Golden League	Various	1st	6/6 Wins	Jackpot winner
	IAAF World Athletics Final	Stuttgart, Germany	1st	4.87 m	CR
2008	World Indoor Championships	Valencia, Spain	1st	4.75 m
	Summer Olympics	Beijing, China	1st	5.05 m	WR
2009	World Championships	Berlin, Germany	—	NM
	IAAF Golden League	Various	1st	6/6 Wins	Jackpot winner
	World Athletics Final	Thessaloniki, Greece	1st	4.80 m
2010	World Indoor Championships	Doha, Qatar	4th	4.60 m
2011	World Championships	Daegu, South Korea	6th	4.65 m
2012	World Indoor Championships	Istanbul, Turkey	1st	4.80 m
	Summer Olympics	London, United Kingdom	3rd	4.70 m
2013	World Championships	Moscow, Russia	1st	4.89 m

Yelena's Competition Results

Here are some of Yelena's top results from various competitions:

• 2004
  • 1st – 4.83 m – Pole Vault Stars, Ukraine
  • 1st – 4.86 m – World Indoor Championships, Hungary (New World Record)
  • 1st – 4.87 m – IAAF Gateshead, Great Britain (New World Record)
  • 1st – 4.89 m – Birmingham International Meeting, Great Britain (New World Record)
  • 1st – 4.90 m – British Grand Prix London, Great Britain (New World Record)
  • 1st – 4.91 m – Summer Olympics, Athens, Greece (New World Record)
  • 1st – 4.92 m – Golden League Brussels, Belgium (New World Record)

• 2005
  • 1st – 4.90 m – European Indoor Championships, Spain
  • 1st – 4.93 m – IAAF Lausanne, Switzerland (New World Record)
  • 1st – 4.95 m – Meeting de Madrid, Spain (New World Record)
  • 1st – 5.00 m – IAAF London, Great Britain (New World Record)
  • 1st – 5.01 m – World Championships, Helsinki, Finland (New World Record)

• 2006
  • 1st – 4.91 m – Pole Vault Stars, Ukraine (New Indoor World Record)
  • 1st – 4.80 m – World Indoor Championships, Moscow, Russia
  • 1st – 4.80 m – European Championships, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • 1st – 4.60 m – World Cup, Athens, Greece

• 2007
  • 1st – 4.93 m – Pole Vault Stars, Ukraine (New Indoor World Record)
  • 1st – 4.80 m – World Championships, Osaka, Japan
  • 1st – IAAF Golden League (won all 6 meetings)

• 2008
  • 1st – 4.95 m – Pole Vault Stars, Ukraine (New Indoor World Record)
  • 1st – 4.75 m – World Indoor Championships, Valencia, Spain
  • 1st – 5.03 m – Golden Gala, Rome, Italy (New World Record)
  • 1st – 5.04 m – Super Grand Prix, Monaco (New World Record)
  • 1st – 5.05 m – Summer Olympics, Beijing, China (New World Record)

• 2009
  • 1st – 5.00 m – Pole Vault Stars, Ukraine (New Indoor World Record)
  • 1st – 5.06 m – IAAF Golden League, Zürich, Switzerland (New World Record)

• 2012
  • 1st – 5.01 m – XL-Galan, Stockholm, Sweden (New Indoor World Record)
  • 1st – 4.80 m – World Indoor Championships, Istanbul, Turkey
  • 3rd – 4.70 m – Summer Olympic, London, Great Britain

• 2013
  • 1st – 4.89 m – World Championships, Moscow, Russia

• 2016
  • 1st – 4.90 m – Russian National Championship, Cheboksary, Russia

Yelena's World Record Progression

Yelena Isinbayeva set many world records during her career. She set 17 outdoor world records and 13 indoor world records. Some of her indoor records were also counted as overall world records.

Yelena's Important Records

(Records in bold are still current ones.)

Images for kids

• 

  Yelena Isinbayeva with a winner's bouquet

See also

In Spanish: Yelena Isinbáyeva para niños authorised representative [ru]

• List of Olympic medalists in athletics (women)
• List of 2004 Summer Olympics medal winners
• List of 2008 Summer Olympics medal winners
• List of 2012 Summer Olympics medal winners
• List of World Athletics Championships medalists (women)
• List of IAAF World Indoor Championships medalists (women)
• List of European Athletics Championships medalists (women)
• List of European Athletics Indoor Championships medalists (women)
• List of pole vault national champions (women)
• List of members of the International Olympic Committee
• List of 2009 all-decade Sports Illustrated awards and honors
• List of Russian people
• List of Russian sportspeople
• List of people from Volgograd
• List of sportswomen
• Pole vault at the Olympics
• Pole vault at the World Championships in Athletics
• Five metres club