Line up at the LOC press conference in Doha - Jessica Ennis, Terence Trammell, Blanka Vlasic, Yelena Isinbayeva, and James Kwalia (© Getty Images)
Doha, QatarThe traditional IAAF and Local Organising Committee (LOC) Press Conference on the eve of the opening day of the 13th World Indoor Championships was held this afternoon at the Headquarters of the Qatari Olympic Committee.
In attendance were IAAF President Lamine Diack, IAAF General Secretary Pierre Weiss, LOC President H.E. Sheikh Saoud Abdulrahman Al Thani, and LOC Event Director Abdulla Al Zaini.
The athletes in attendance were:
Blanka Vlasic (CRO), two-time outdoor World champion and defending World indoor champion in the High Jump
Jessica Ennis (GBR), Heptathlon World champion
Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS), reigning World indoor champion and World record holder in the Pole Vault
Terrence Trammell (USA), two-time World indoor 60m Hurdles champion
James Kwalia (QAT), 5000m World bronze medalist
Blanka Vlasic -
On how she’s feeling on the eve of her title defence:
This is a place where I have only good memories. It’s always good to come back, especially after a really good season that I’ve had so far. I’m just enjoying the fact that I’m healthy and ready and hope I’ll be able to give my best this weekend.
On her chances to break Kajsa Bergqvist’s World indoor record of 2.08m:
Anything is possible.
It will come if and when it comes. People ask me about the world record all the time. I cannot say what’s going to happen in the future. I’m doing everything in my power to increase my level of results. To jump higher than my PB. To get closer to the World record.
Of course I’m confident. Because if I wasn’t, why would we do all this? If you don’t have faith in yourself, what’s the point? But it’s a reasonable amount of confidence because you cannot be too confident in sports because nothing is ever for sure.
Yelena Isinbayeva
On whether her shock defeat at last year’s World Championships, where she no-heighted, still weighs on her mind:
I still use it for huge motivation because I will never forget my defeat in Berlin. I got very good lessons from that, it educated me. And I’m stronger now because of that. And I want to keep this in the back of my mind and always use it as a source of motivation.
On her last competitions in Donetsk where she cleared 4.85, and her chances to break her own World indoor record of 5.00m:
I’m really in my best shape. At my last competition I did very well. But it was my first time not to jump the world record (in Donetsk) since 2004. Of course I’d like to make this competition (in Doha) unforgettable, and this is my main goal after winning.
On her competitors:
The girls are still behind me. I would say that I will still be by myself until they reach five metres. They are still jumping 4.80. Right now . (For me) that’’s nothing because I jumped this height six years ago, and they’re just jumping it now.
But I’m happy that they’re improving. It’s better for me that they’re getting closer and maybe the results will improve even faster.
Terrence Trammell -
On how as the world leader at 7.41 he feels about the challenge ahead:
I think I’m in pretty good shape right now. My training has been coming along good and I’m feeling pretty good right now.
On the return to competition of defending champion Liu Xiang:
I know what it is like to go through a lot of personal strife and it is great that has overcome that. I know his best time for the season in 8.05, but I’d expect him to run a lot quicker than that.
In terms of the competition, I think he has a major influence because he has been the dominant competitor for quite some time and it is always great to see those heroes come back to form. It is great for our event as well as the (World Indoor) championships.
On the presence of Olympic 110m Hurdles champion Dayron Robles of Cuba:
It will be tough, but it is something I’m very excited about. People want to see the three of us (Trammell, Liu Xiang and Robles) compete without being injured. I don’t think we’ve had that occur. Just based on the history of the three of us, I think it is a really good race to see.
Jessica Ennis -
On her fitness prior to the Championships:
Obviously, I had a brilliant year last year and good winter’s training. I also started the season well. Unfortunately, I picked up a slight injury in February, which means I had to change my preparation ever so slightly for the World Indoors. But I feel I’m in good shape to perform well.
On the possibility of smashing through the 5000 points barrier, a mark which she could achieve if she matches her PBs in each of the five events:
It would be great to do a PB in every event, but realistically I’m hoping to make improvements this year and get a PB (in the pentathlon). I’ll concentrate on each event at a time.
On the demands of packing all five events into one day:
The indoor pentathlon is a very tough event with five events in one day and not much recovery time, unlike the outdoors when you have a morning session and an evening session. It’s going to be tough, but I’ve done it before and I have got a plan.
On her personal goal for the weekend:
I’ve got a rough idea about what I want to achieve, but I’ll keep that to myself.
James Kwalia –
On his pre-championships preparation:
Of course, I have only raced once this year indoors but I have a very important race indoors because it is here in Doha. I consider it important to be for ready for this event because after my performance in Berlin there are great expectations. This race is as important for me as Berlin.
Steve Landells and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
In attendance were IAAF President Lamine Diack, IAAF General Secretary Pierre Weiss, LOC President H.E. Sheikh Saoud Abdulrahman Al Thani, and LOC Event Director Abdulla Al Zaini.
The athletes in attendance were:
Blanka Vlasic (CRO), two-time outdoor World champion and defending World indoor champion in the High Jump
Jessica Ennis (GBR), Heptathlon World champion
Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS), reigning World indoor champion and World record holder in the Pole Vault
Terrence Trammell (USA), two-time World indoor 60m Hurdles champion
James Kwalia (QAT), 5000m World bronze medalist
Blanka Vlasic -
On how she’s feeling on the eve of her title defence:
This is a place where I have only good memories. It’s always good to come back, especially after a really good season that I’ve had so far. I’m just enjoying the fact that I’m healthy and ready and hope I’ll be able to give my best this weekend.
On her chances to break Kajsa Bergqvist’s World indoor record of 2.08m:
Anything is possible.
It will come if and when it comes. People ask me about the world record all the time. I cannot say what’s going to happen in the future. I’m doing everything in my power to increase my level of results. To jump higher than my PB. To get closer to the World record.
Of course I’m confident. Because if I wasn’t, why would we do all this? If you don’t have faith in yourself, what’s the point? But it’s a reasonable amount of confidence because you cannot be too confident in sports because nothing is ever for sure.
Yelena Isinbayeva
On whether her shock defeat at last year’s World Championships, where she no-heighted, still weighs on her mind:
I still use it for huge motivation because I will never forget my defeat in Berlin. I got very good lessons from that, it educated me. And I’m stronger now because of that. And I want to keep this in the back of my mind and always use it as a source of motivation.
On her last competitions in Donetsk where she cleared 4.85, and her chances to break her own World indoor record of 5.00m:
I’m really in my best shape. At my last competition I did very well. But it was my first time not to jump the world record (in Donetsk) since 2004. Of course I’d like to make this competition (in Doha) unforgettable, and this is my main goal after winning.
On her competitors:
The girls are still behind me. I would say that I will still be by myself until they reach five metres. They are still jumping 4.80. Right now . (For me) that’’s nothing because I jumped this height six years ago, and they’re just jumping it now.
But I’m happy that they’re improving. It’s better for me that they’re getting closer and maybe the results will improve even faster.
Terrence Trammell -
On how as the world leader at 7.41 he feels about the challenge ahead:
I think I’m in pretty good shape right now. My training has been coming along good and I’m feeling pretty good right now.
On the return to competition of defending champion Liu Xiang:
I know what it is like to go through a lot of personal strife and it is great that has overcome that. I know his best time for the season in 8.05, but I’d expect him to run a lot quicker than that.
In terms of the competition, I think he has a major influence because he has been the dominant competitor for quite some time and it is always great to see those heroes come back to form. It is great for our event as well as the (World Indoor) championships.
On the presence of Olympic 110m Hurdles champion Dayron Robles of Cuba:
It will be tough, but it is something I’m very excited about. People want to see the three of us (Trammell, Liu Xiang and Robles) compete without being injured. I don’t think we’ve had that occur. Just based on the history of the three of us, I think it is a really good race to see.
Jessica Ennis -
On her fitness prior to the Championships:
Obviously, I had a brilliant year last year and good winter’s training. I also started the season well. Unfortunately, I picked up a slight injury in February, which means I had to change my preparation ever so slightly for the World Indoors. But I feel I’m in good shape to perform well.
On the possibility of smashing through the 5000 points barrier, a mark which she could achieve if she matches her PBs in each of the five events:
It would be great to do a PB in every event, but realistically I’m hoping to make improvements this year and get a PB (in the pentathlon). I’ll concentrate on each event at a time.
On the demands of packing all five events into one day:
The indoor pentathlon is a very tough event with five events in one day and not much recovery time, unlike the outdoors when you have a morning session and an evening session. It’s going to be tough, but I’ve done it before and I have got a plan.
On her personal goal for the weekend:
I’ve got a rough idea about what I want to achieve, but I’ll keep that to myself.
James Kwalia –
On his pre-championships preparation:
Of course, I have only raced once this year indoors but I have a very important race indoors because it is here in Doha. I consider it important to be for ready for this event because after my performance in Berlin there are great expectations. This race is as important for me as Berlin.
Steve Landells and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
