Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva wins second Laureus award
May 27, 2009 by jane
Filed under Awards, Pole Vault, Track & Field
Following her sensational gold medal winning performance in the Beijing Olympics, Russian pole vaulter and Olympic gold medallist Yelena Isinbayeva won her second Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award Wednesday.
Isinbayeva received the award from Laureus academy members Sir Bobby Charlton, the former Manchester United player, former France international Marcel Desailly and Italian skiing champion Alberto Tomba at a ceremony in Rome.
She was selected by the 46-member jury of the academy, which unites the world’s greatest sportsmen and women.
Not only is it Isinbayeva’s second Laureus Award – she also won in 2007 – but it is the fifth straight year that the Russian pole vault super star has been nominated.
Isinbayeva has dominated women’s pole vaulting for the last five years, and is the defending Olympic and world champion. She set a world record of 5.05 meters at the Beijing Olympics, and has improved the world record 24 times. She has nine major championship career victories, included Olympic, World outdoor and indoor and European outdoor and indoor titles.
“It is a great honour for me,” said the 26-year-old athlete, who won also won in 2007. “This is what I train for.”
The winners of this year’s Laureus Awards – often called the “Oscars” of the sports world – are receiving their prizes individually at a series of presentations in May and June after the usual televised ceremony was scrapped because of the global economic crisis.
Other nominees for Sportswomen of the Year this year included Tirunesh Dibaba, Stephanie Rice, Lorena Ochoa , Venus Williams , Lindsey Vonn .
The Laureus Foundation addresses social challenges through a worldwide program of sports related community development initiatives. Since its inception Laureus has raised €20 million for projects which have helped improve the lives of more than one million young people.
