Yelena Isinbayeva at the World Athletics Final Press Conference (© Getty Images)
Monte CarloThe IAAF World Athletics Final press conference took place today at 3pm at the Fairmont Hotel, the competition headquarters, in Monaco.
The four newly crowned World champions from Helsinki who attended the press conference were Kajsa Bergqvist (SWE), Justin Gatlin (USA), Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) and Adam Nelson (USA).
Double sprint World champion Justin Gatlin
About his decision to compete only in the 200m in Monaco
“I talked and talked about it with my agent and we decided to run only the 200 metres here in Monaco because I am already leading the IAAF World Rankings at 100 metres and it would take a more than excellent race to catch me up.”
“In the 200m World Rankings I am currently in second place 13 points behind the leader and it would be nice to grab the first place in both events. If I run a great race tomorrow I can finish top of the 200m as well.”
“I have had enough rest and enough training; I am running only one race at the weekend, so I think I can run sub-20.”
About his performance in Helsinki
“It is true that considering the conditions the race I ran in Helsinki is probably worth more than my Personal Best. In Helsinki I felt like a champion and I performed like a champion.”
“I think the reason why I am more dominant this year is that I am more mature. One can’t be known as the best in the world without being dominant.”
About the possibility of a sprinter going unbeaten in one season
“Last year I would have said no but this year I would say yes I think a sprinter can go all the season unbeaten. It will be my aim next year. It will be a tougher affair though as Asafa Powell will be back from injury, my team mate Shawn Crawford will also be back and Maurice Greene will come back.”
“This year has been my longest season ever and I don’t want to do it ever again (laughs). It’s been long but good. Last year I won only two races and this year I lost only two races. Hopefully next year I will be able to pick my races, select where I want to run and have a lot of fun with it.”
High Jump World champion Kajsa Bergqvist
About her sprained ankle
“I twisted my ankle after training this afternoon and right now I have no idea how it will feel tomorrow. Sometimes you wake up the day after and you feel great and sometimes you wake up the day after and your ankle is really swollen. So I will have to wait and see.”
“Despite my injuries, I feel a lot stronger this year, I actually feel stronger than ever. My foot is not as stable as it used to be and that is why incidents like today's happen but no matter what this season will have been fantastic for me.”
“I am only starting now to realize that I have won the World Championships. When I got injured last year I knew I would be able to come back but I didn’t know at what level I would come back. And then this year I have performed really well, I haven’t lost once and I won the title that I was missing, the one I had been dreaming of since I was a little girl.”
“If I’m going to win tomorrow, I will have to jump over 2 metres. I hope I can do it tomorrow but as I said I will just have to wait and see.”
World Shot Put champion Adam Nelson
“Winning in Helsinki was such an amazing sensation. To come out and get a first throw like that and put pressure on the rest of the field is something every competitor dreams of. When the competition was over it was the end of five years of frustration for me, five years of knocking on the door and still missing it by something which is not even measurable.”
“I am not going to make any predictions as far as this competition is concerned but I can say that I am ready to throw far. The past month and a half I have been in the condition of breaking my personal best so if everything goes to plan this should be a great competition.”
“The World Athletics Final is a huge competition for me as far as finances are concerned. It either makes or breaks my year. It kind of gives me the financial basis to get ready for next year. So yes the Prize money really is a big motivation for me.”
World Pole Vault champion and record holder Yelena Isinbayeva
“Now that I have the gold medal from every major championship I am very happy. I have now achieved all that I have dreamt of. Also I have cleared 5 metres this year and to become the first to do that in competition was like my Super dream so now I feel great.”
“Since I broke so many World records I have had the little extra pressure that every time I enter a competition every one expects me to break the World record. But it is not easy. 5 metres is a whole different world and since Helsinki I have been very tired.”
“I always try to break the World record after I’ve won a competition but I can’t always succeed!”
“I don’t want to set any limit for myself. I want to jump as high as I can but only one centimetre at a time. As I said 5 metres is a different level.”
IAAF
