World 1500m champion Yusuf Saad Kamel meeting with the media in Monaco (© Bob Ramsak)
MonteCarlo, MonacoWorld 1500m champion Yusuf Saad Kamel, World 110m Hurdles champion Ryan Brathwaite and Olympic Pole Vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva meet with the media at the Fairmont Hotel in Monaco on the eve of the World Athletics Gala.
Here are some things the athletes had to say:
Yusuf Saad Kamel (BRN), gold medallist 1500m, bronze medallist 800m, 2009 World Championships
On which event he prefers -
At the moment I can say that the 1500 is easier. We really don’t have anyone like Hicham el Guerrou in the event right now. In the 800, if you make one mistake you can’t come back.
Was he disappointed that he didn’t add the 800m gold to his 1500m victory at the World Championships -
I was not disappointed. (Winner) Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was very strong and the 800 is a very difficult race.
How has his life changed since becoming a World champion –
I’ve become more popular everywhere. And people now recognise me everywhere I go.
What made the difference in his preparation this year that led him to the World title –
I think I was more mentally ready this season. Before I started the heats, I said to myself, ‘I’m going to win’. Before the final, I was very confident and I told my friends, ‘Today is my day’.
I’ve never been as serious as I was this year. In past years I would go out, and go dancing on days before semis and finals. But this year all that changed.
Goals for 2010-
I want to attempt a World record in the 1500 and run sub-1:42 in the 800m. [His personal bests are 1:42.79 (’08) and 3:31.56 (’09).] I want to stay serious and focus on my training.
Even if I don’t break the World record I think I can run 3:27. When I ran 3:31 this year I didn’t do a lot of training, maybe less than one month. And it was not very difficult.
Ryan Brathwaite (BAR), gold medallist, 110m Hurdles, 2009 World Championships, World record, World Athletics Final winner
On his overall impressions of the 2009 season where he ended the year as World champion –
I started out with some difficulties on the circuit but it ended up great at the World championships.
I wanted to go beyond the national record this year. Now I’m thinking about a bigger performance that will surprise the world.
On his goals for 2010 -
I’m aiming for the World record. I’m going back to the drawing board and repairing the things that need to be fixed. It’s better to aim high than to take it too late.
And I’ll be aiming for the world indoor title in Doha. And I’ll be running in the Commonwealth Games as well.
When did he truly believe that he could win the world title?
In London, when I ran against (Dayron) Robles, it was head-to-head. After that race my coach said I could win gold or silver.
On his competitors and Liu Xiang’s comeback –
I’m very happy he’s back out. It’ll be great competition again this year. We need the best out there. And there are lots of tough guys out there.
Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS), 2009 co-winner of the $1 million Golden League Jackpot, 5.06m World record, World Athletics Final winner
On what has she learned from her disappointing showing at the World championships where she failed to clear a height -
(Looking back on it) I was happy that it happened in Berlin. Now I’m stronger mentally. I can say I’m stronger and more motivated because I have to prove again who is the world champion. Because I’m now the ex-world champion and this I don’t like.
It’s also given me some extra power for the future because I know that deep down there is a reserve that I haven’t touched yet.
He said that I was a little absent during the World championships. There were many other things on my mind besides the pole vault.
On following up her no-height at the World championships with a 5.06m World record in Zurich, the 27th of her career -
First I proved that what happened in Berlin was just an accident. It was a good lesson for me and showed the world that I’m still here, that I’m still at the top and still the strongest. I expected that I might break another world record but I didn’t think that it would come so soon after Berlin. But I was very focused and I was patient to prove again who I am. And to feel again these victory feelings, these world record feelings.
On approaching Sergey Bubka’s mark of 35 world records -
There are nine more remaining, and I’m really patient. It could be something special to get 36. I’m sure that no ne after me will repeat it. Nowhere.
On her plans for the indoor season, including the World indoor championships in Doha –
My first competition will the Russian Winter in Moscow (07-Feb), it will be the first time to perform in front of a home crowd indoors for a very long time. Then I’ll have a break and compete in the Pole Vault Stars meeting in Donetsk (Ukraine). And then the World Indoor Championships in Doha.
We decided to have a short competition schedule indoors so I can recover better. Because this year was hard for me and the plan is to stay fresh for each competition.
I want to prove again (that I'm th best), and I want to fight again. I don’t want to be relaxed. I’m afraid that if I passed the World Indoor championships that I could lose that competitive feeling.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
Here are some things the athletes had to say:
Yusuf Saad Kamel (BRN), gold medallist 1500m, bronze medallist 800m, 2009 World Championships
On which event he prefers -
At the moment I can say that the 1500 is easier. We really don’t have anyone like Hicham el Guerrou in the event right now. In the 800, if you make one mistake you can’t come back.
Was he disappointed that he didn’t add the 800m gold to his 1500m victory at the World Championships -
I was not disappointed. (Winner) Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was very strong and the 800 is a very difficult race.
How has his life changed since becoming a World champion –
I’ve become more popular everywhere. And people now recognise me everywhere I go.
What made the difference in his preparation this year that led him to the World title –
I think I was more mentally ready this season. Before I started the heats, I said to myself, ‘I’m going to win’. Before the final, I was very confident and I told my friends, ‘Today is my day’.
I’ve never been as serious as I was this year. In past years I would go out, and go dancing on days before semis and finals. But this year all that changed.
Goals for 2010-
I want to attempt a World record in the 1500 and run sub-1:42 in the 800m. [His personal bests are 1:42.79 (’08) and 3:31.56 (’09).] I want to stay serious and focus on my training.
Even if I don’t break the World record I think I can run 3:27. When I ran 3:31 this year I didn’t do a lot of training, maybe less than one month. And it was not very difficult.
Ryan Brathwaite (BAR), gold medallist, 110m Hurdles, 2009 World Championships, World record, World Athletics Final winner
On his overall impressions of the 2009 season where he ended the year as World champion –
I started out with some difficulties on the circuit but it ended up great at the World championships.
I wanted to go beyond the national record this year. Now I’m thinking about a bigger performance that will surprise the world.
On his goals for 2010 -
I’m aiming for the World record. I’m going back to the drawing board and repairing the things that need to be fixed. It’s better to aim high than to take it too late.
And I’ll be aiming for the world indoor title in Doha. And I’ll be running in the Commonwealth Games as well.
When did he truly believe that he could win the world title?
In London, when I ran against (Dayron) Robles, it was head-to-head. After that race my coach said I could win gold or silver.
On his competitors and Liu Xiang’s comeback –
I’m very happy he’s back out. It’ll be great competition again this year. We need the best out there. And there are lots of tough guys out there.
Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS), 2009 co-winner of the $1 million Golden League Jackpot, 5.06m World record, World Athletics Final winner
On what has she learned from her disappointing showing at the World championships where she failed to clear a height -
(Looking back on it) I was happy that it happened in Berlin. Now I’m stronger mentally. I can say I’m stronger and more motivated because I have to prove again who is the world champion. Because I’m now the ex-world champion and this I don’t like.
It’s also given me some extra power for the future because I know that deep down there is a reserve that I haven’t touched yet.
He said that I was a little absent during the World championships. There were many other things on my mind besides the pole vault.
On following up her no-height at the World championships with a 5.06m World record in Zurich, the 27th of her career -
First I proved that what happened in Berlin was just an accident. It was a good lesson for me and showed the world that I’m still here, that I’m still at the top and still the strongest. I expected that I might break another world record but I didn’t think that it would come so soon after Berlin. But I was very focused and I was patient to prove again who I am. And to feel again these victory feelings, these world record feelings.
On approaching Sergey Bubka’s mark of 35 world records -
There are nine more remaining, and I’m really patient. It could be something special to get 36. I’m sure that no ne after me will repeat it. Nowhere.
On her plans for the indoor season, including the World indoor championships in Doha –
My first competition will the Russian Winter in Moscow (07-Feb), it will be the first time to perform in front of a home crowd indoors for a very long time. Then I’ll have a break and compete in the Pole Vault Stars meeting in Donetsk (Ukraine). And then the World Indoor Championships in Doha.
We decided to have a short competition schedule indoors so I can recover better. Because this year was hard for me and the plan is to stay fresh for each competition.
I want to prove again (that I'm th best), and I want to fight again. I don’t want to be relaxed. I’m afraid that if I passed the World Indoor championships that I could lose that competitive feeling.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
