View source for Yelena Isinbayeva

{{short description|Russian Olympic pole-vaulter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{family name hatnote|Gadzhievna|Isinbayeva|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Yelena Isinbayeva
| image = Yelena Isinbayeva by Augustas Didzgalvis.jpg
| imagesize = 240px
| caption = Isinbayeva in 2013
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
| fullname = Yelena Gadzhievna Isinbayeva
| nationality = [[Russia]]n
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|6|3|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Volgograd]], [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Russian SFSR]], [[Soviet Union]]
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| height = {{height|m=1.74}}
| weight = {{convert|65|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| country = {{RUS}}
| sport = Women's [[sport of athletics|athletics]]
| event = [[Pole vault]]
| club = [[CSKA Moscow]]
| retired = 20 August 2016
| coach = Yevgeny Trofimov<br/>Vitaly Petrov
| worlds = Outdoor: [[2003 World Championships in Athletics|2003]], [[2005 World Championships in Athletics|2005]], [[2007 World Championships in Athletics|2007]]<br />Indoor: [[2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2003]], [[2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2004]], [[2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2006]], [[2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2008]]
| regionals = Outdoor: [[2002 European Championships in Athletics|2002]], [[2006 European Championships in Athletics|2006]]<br />Indoor: [[2005 European Indoor Championships in Athletics|2005]]
| nationals = 
| olympics = [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004]], [[2008 Summer Olympics|2008]]
| paralympics = 
| highestranking = 1st (2005–2009)
| pb = Outdoor: 5.06 '''[[List of world records in athletics#Women|WR]]''' (2009)<br />indoor: 5.01 '''[[List of European records in athletics#Women 2|ER]]''' (2012)
| updated = 6 August 2012
| medaltemplates = {{MedalCount
|[[Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]|2|0|1
|[[World Athletics Championships|World Championships]]|3|0|1
|[[World Athletics Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]|4|1|0
|[[IAAF Continental Cup|World Cup]]|1|0|0
|[[European Athletics Championships|European Championships]]|1|1|0
|[[European Athletics Indoor Championships|European Indoor Championships]]|1|0|0
|[[European Athletics U23 Championships|European U23 Championships]]|1|0|0
|[[World Athletics U20 Championships|World Junior Championships]]|1|0|0
|[[European Athletics U20 Championships|European Junior Championships]]|1|0|0
|[[IAAF World Youth Championships in Athletics|World Youth Championships]]|1|0|0 
|[[IAAF World Youth Games in Athletics|World Youth Games]]|1|0|0 
| '''Total'''|'''17'''|'''2'''|'''2''' 
}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Athletics at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]]|[[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing]]|[[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London]]|[[Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[World Athletics Championships|World Championships]]}} 
{{Medal|Gold|[[2005 World Championships in Athletics|2005 Helsinki]]|[[2005 World Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2007 World Championships in Athletics|2007 Osaka]]|[[2007 World Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2013 World Championships in Athletics|2013 Moscow]]|[[2013 World Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics|2003 Paris]]|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[World Athletics Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2004 Budapest]]|[[2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2006 Moscow]]|[[2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2008 Valencia]]|[[2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2012 Istanbul]]|[[2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2003 Birmingham]]|[[2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}} 
{{Medal|Competition|[[IAAF Continental Cup|World Cup]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2006 IAAF World Cup|2006 Athens]]|[[2006 IAAF World Cup – Results|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[European Athletics Championships|European Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2006 European Athletics Championships|2006 Gothenburg]]|[[2006 European Athletics Championships – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}} 
{{Medal|Silver|[[2002 European Athletics Championships|2002 Munich]]|[[2002 European Athletics Championships – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[European Athletics Indoor Championships|European Indoor Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2005 European Athletics Indoor Championships|2005 Madrid]]|[[2005 European Athletics Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[European Athletics U23 Championships|European U23 Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2003 European Athletics U23 Championships|2003 Bydgoszcz]]|[[2003 European Athletics U23 Championships – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[World Athletics U20 Championships|World Junior Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics|2000 Santiago]]|[[2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[European Athletics U20 Championships|European Junior Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2001 European Athletics Junior Championships|2001 Grosseto]]|Pole vault}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[IAAF World Youth Championships in Athletics|World Youth Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1999 World Youth Championships in Athletics|1999 Bydgoszcz]]|Pole vault}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[1998 World Youth Games|World Youth Games]] }}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1998 World Youth Games|1998 Moscow]]|[[Athletics at the 1998 World Youth Games|Pole vault]]}}
}}

'''Yelena Gadzhievna Isinbayeva''' ({{lang-rus|Елена Гаджиевна Исинбаева|p=jɪˈlʲɛnə gɐˈdʐɨjɪvnə ɪsʲɪnˈbajɪvə}}; born 3 June 1982) is a Russian former [[pole vault]]er. She is twice an [[Summer Olympics|Olympic]] [[gold medal]]ist (2004 and 2008), three-times a World Champion (2005, 2007 and 2013), the current [[List of world records in athletics|world record]] holder in the event, and is widely considered the greatest female pole-vaulter of all time.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pole-Vaulter Keeps a Low Profile During Her Ambitious Ascent|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/02/sports/othersports/02millrose.html|access-date=19 June 2011|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=2 February 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Athletics: Pole-vault diva toys with foes and fans|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/29/sports/29iht-TRACK.1.7302544.html|access-date=19 June 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|date=29 August 2007}}</ref> Isinbayeva was banned from the 2016 Rio Olympics after revelations of an extensive [[Doping in Russia|state-sponsored doping programme in Russia]], thus dashing her hopes of a grand retirement winning the Olympic gold medal. She retired from athletics in August 2016<ref name=BBC19Aug2016a/> after being elected to serve an 8-year term on the [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]]'s [[Athletes' Commission]].<ref name=Guardian19Aug2016a/><ref name=IOC-18Aug2016a/>

Isinbayeva has been a major champion on nine occasions (Olympic, World outdoor and indoor champion and European outdoor and indoor champion). She was also the jackpot winner of the [[IAAF Golden League]] series in 2007 and 2009. After poor performances at the World Championships in 2009 and 2010, she took a year-long break from the sport.

She became the first woman to clear the five-metre barrier in 2005. Her existing world record is 5.06&nbsp;m outdoors, set in [[Zürich]] in August 2009. It is still unbeaten, as of 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/world-records-ratified-17|title=IAAF: World records ratified- News - iaaf.org|access-date=26 August 2016}}</ref> Her 5.01&nbsp;m indoors was the world record for just over a year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/24022012/58/new-world-record-isinbayeva.html|title=New world record for Isinbayeva|publisher=Yahoo! Sports|work=Eurosport|date=23 January 2012|access-date=24 January 2012}}</ref> The latter was Isinbayeva's twenty-eighth [[Women's pole vault world record progression|pole vault world record]].

Isinbayeva was named [[IAAF World Athlete of the Year|Female Athlete of the Year]] by the [[IAAF]] in 2004, 2005 and 2008, and [[Laureus World Sports Awards|World Sportswoman of the Year]] by [[Laureus]] in 2007 and 2009. In 2007 she entered in the [[FICTS (Fédération Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs)|FICTS]] "Hall of Fame" and was awarded with "[[Sport Movies & TV - Milano International FICTS Fest|Excellence Guirlande D'Honneur]]".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sportmoviestv.com/en/sport-movies-tv-past-editions/edizion-2007/|title=Edizion 2007 - Ficts|work=Ficts|access-date=25 May 2017|language=en-US|archive-date=1 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901073150/http://www.sportmoviestv.com/en/sport-movies-tv-past-editions/edizion-2007/|url-status=dead}}</ref> She was given the [[Prince of Asturias Award]] for Sports in 2009. Isinbayeva is one of only eleven athletes (along with [[Valerie Adams]], [[Usain Bolt]], [[Veronica Campbell-Brown]], [[Armand Duplantis]], [[Jacques Freitag]], [[Kirani James]], [[Faith Kipyegon]], [[Jana Pittman]], [[Dani Samuels]], and [[David Storl]]) to win World Championship titles at the youth, junior, and senior levels of an athletic event.

==Career==
===Early life and competition===
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=July 2023}}
[[File:Isinbayeva.jpg|thumb|left|Isinbayeva at the 1998 [[World Youth Games]] in Moscow]]
Born to a [[Tabasaran people|Tabasaran]] father and a [[Russians|Russian]] mother in [[Volgograd]], Isinbayeva trained as a [[gymnastics|gymnast]] from the age of 5 to 15. She ultimately left the sport because, as she grew, she was considered too tall to be competitive in gymnastics, ultimately attaining a height of {{convert|1.74|m|ftin|1}}.

Six months after having taken up pole-vaulting she won her first major victory at age 16 during the 1998 [[World Youth Games]] in Moscow, Russia with a height of 4.00&nbsp;m. It was her third athletic competition.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} She jumped the same height at the [[1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics]] in [[Annecy]], France, but this left her 10&nbsp;cm away from the medal placings.

In 1999, Isinbayeva improved on this height at the [[1999 World Youth Championships in Athletics]] in [[Bydgoszcz]], Poland when she cleared 4.10&nbsp;m to take her second gold medal.

At the [[2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics]] Isinbayeva again took first place clearing 4.20&nbsp;m ahead of German [[Annika Becker]]. The same year the women's pole vault made its debut as an Olympic event in Sydney, Australia where [[Stacy Dragila]] of the United States took gold. In the [[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics|same event]] Isinbayeva did not make it out of the qualifying round.

She won another gold medal in 2001, this time at the [[2001 European Athletics Junior Championships|European Junior Championships]] with a winning height of 4.40&nbsp;m.

Isinbayeva continued to improve and 2002 saw her clear 4.55&nbsp;m at the [[2002 European Athletics Championships]], where she gained her first senior championship medal (silver), finishing 5&nbsp;cm short of her compatriot [[Svetlana Feofanova]].

===First world records and Olympic title===
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=July 2023}}
2003 was another year of progression and saw Isinbayeva win the [[2003 European Athletics U23 Championships|European Under 23 Championships]] gold with 4.65&nbsp;m (in [[Bydgoszcz]]). On 13 July 2003, just about a month after her 21st birthday, Isinbayeva set her first [[List of world records in athletics|world record]] at a meeting in [[Gateshead]], England with a height of 4.82&nbsp;m, which had made her the favourite to take gold at the [[2003 World Championships in Athletics]] the following month. She ended up winning the bronze medal with Feofanova taking gold and Becker the silver.

At a meeting at [[Donetsk]], Ukraine, Isinbayeva set a new indoor world record, with a height of 4.83&nbsp;m only to see Feofanova increase this by two centimetres the following week. The following month at the [[2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships|Worlds Indoor Championships]] in March Isinbayeva broke Feofanova's record with a gold medal-winning jump of 4.86&nbsp;m beating reigning indoor & outdoor champion Feofanova into bronze with reigning Olympic champion Dragila taking silver. The IAAF considered all three records to be over-all (outdoor) records, hence the indoor and outdoor records now stood at 4.86&nbsp;m

27 June saw Isinbayeva return to Gateshead and improve the world record to 4.87&nbsp;m. Feofanova responded the following week by breaking the record by a centimetre in [[Heraklion]], Greece.

On 25 July in [[Birmingham]], England, Isinbayeva reclaimed the record jumping 4.89&nbsp;m and five days later in [[Crystal Palace National Sports Centre|Crystal Palace, London]], added a further centimetre to the record.

At the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in Athens, Isinbayeva won [[gold medal]] with a new world record height of 4.91&nbsp;m. She subsequently broke the record later that year at the [[Memorial Van Damme]] in Brussels with a 4.92&nbsp;m jump, her eighth world record of the season. Isinbayeva was named [[IAAF World Athlete of the Year|World Athlete of the Year]] for winning the Olympic & World Indoor title and breaking the World record eight times.

===World and European champion===
At the [[2005 European Athletics Indoor Championships|European Indoor Championships]] in Madrid, Spain Isinbayeva won gold with a new indoor world record of 4.90&nbsp;m. In July 2005, Isinbayeva broke the world record four times over three separate meetings. First in [[Lausanne]], Switzerland, she added an extra centimetre to her own mark clearing 4.93&nbsp;m. It was the 14th world record of Isinbayeva's career coming just three months after she broke her own indoor mark (4.89&nbsp;m) in [[Lievin]]. Eleven days later, in [[Madrid]], Spain, she added an additional 2&nbsp;cm to clear 4.95&nbsp;m. In [[Crystal Palace, London]] on 22 July, after improving the record to 4.96&nbsp;m, she raised the bar to 5.00&nbsp;m. She then became the first woman in history to clear the once mythical five-metre barrier in pole vaulting, achieving the monumental mark with a single attempt.

[[File:Osaka07 D4A Isinbayeva Interviewed.jpg|thumb|left|Isinbayeva being interviewed after her victory at the [[2007 World Championships in Athletics]] in [[Osaka]].]]

After the women's pole vault final at the [[2005 World Championships in Athletics|2005 World Championships]] in Helsinki, Finland was delayed due to extremely bad weather conditions, Isinbayeva once again broke her own world record, performing 5.01&nbsp;m in her second attempt, and winning the competition with a 41&nbsp;cm margin of victory, which was the greatest margin ever obtained in any World or Olympic competition for the event.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/history/WAF/season=2005/eventCode=3367/news/kind=101/newsid=32077.html Bekele and Isinbayeva win Athletes of the Year titles for second year]. iaaf.org (10 September 2005). Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref> This was already the eighteenth world record in the career of the then 23-year-old Isinbayeva and her successful season was crowned with her second consecutive [[IAAF World Athlete of the Year|World Athlete of the Year]] award.

At an indoor meeting on 12 February in [[Donetsk]], Ukraine, Isinbayeva set a new indoor world record. She cleared 4.91&nbsp;m. In March she successfully defended her World Indoor title in front of a homeland crowd in Moscow, Russia. During the [[2006 European Athletics Championships]] in [[Gothenburg]] she won the gold medal with a CR of 4.80&nbsp;metres. This was the only gold medal missing from her collection until that time. In September she won the [[2006 IAAF World Cup|World Cup]], representing Russia, in [[Athens]].

Isinbayeva was crowned [[Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year|Laureus World Sports Woman of the Year]] for the 2006 season.

===Second world and Olympic golds===
On 10 February 2007 in [[Donetsk]], Ukraine, Isinbayeva broke the world indoor pole vault record again, by clearing 4.93&nbsp;metres. It was Isinbayeva's 20th world record.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/updated-493m-isinbayeva-breaks-own-world|title=IAAF: UPDATED - 4.93m - Isinbayeva breaks own World Indoor Record in Donetsk- News - iaaf.org|access-date=26 August 2016}}</ref>

On 28 August 2007 Isinbayeva repeated as world champion in [[Osaka]] at the [[2007 World Championships in Athletics]] with a 4.80&nbsp;m performance, then failed three times at setting a new world record at 5.02&nbsp;m. Her competition did no better than 4.75&nbsp;m.

[[File:Osaka07 D4A Isinbayeva 4m80 jump.jpg|thumb|left|Isinbayeva passing the bar in Osaka]]

In 2007, she also won the IAAF Golden League Jackpot (which she shared with Sanya Richards) after having won all [[2007 IAAF Golden League]] meetings.
Isinbayeva was unbeaten in the 2007 season and won 18 out of 18 competitions.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=2/newsid=42607.html Shaheen, Isinbayeva, Klüft…athletics' current best win streaks]. iaaf.org. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref>

During the indoor 2008 season, Isinbayeva set her twenty-first world record, clearing 4.95&nbsp;metres on 16 February 2008 in [[Donetsk]], Ukraine. A few weeks later, in [[Valencia]], Spain, Isinbayeva won the [[2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]] over [[Jennifer Stuczynski]]. It was Isinbayeva's third consecutive World Indoor title.<ref>[http://africa.reuters.com/sport/news/usnBAN930814.html Reuters.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527032320/http://africa.reuters.com/sport/news/usnBAN930814.html |date=27 May 2008}}. Africa.reuters.com (9 February 2009). Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref>

On 11 July, at her first outdoor competition of the season, [[Rome]]'s [[Golden Gala]], Isinbayeva broke her own world record, clearing 5.03&nbsp;metres. This was her first world record outdoors since the [[2005 World Championships in Athletics|2005 World Championships]]. Isinbayeva stated that she had tried 5.02&nbsp;metres so many times unsuccessfully that her coach told her to change something and so she attempted 5.03&nbsp;metres.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/GLE08/news/newsid=46030.html “I run faster, I long jump longer, but more important, inside I feel so happy” – Isinbayeva – ÅF Golden League, Rome]. iaaf.org (12 July 2008). Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref> This record came just as people began to speculate her fall from the top of pole vaulting, as American [[Jennifer Stuczynski]] cleared 4.92&nbsp;metres at the American Olympic Trials. Isinbayeva stated that this motivated her to maintain her reputation as the world's greatest female pole vaulter.<ref>[http://www.european-athletics.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6732&Itemid=2 Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) is the female Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204071451/http://www.european-athletics.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6732&Itemid=2 |date=4 December 2008}}. European-athletics.org. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref> A few weeks later, at the Aviva [[London Grand Prix]], Isinbayeva and Stuczynski competed together for the first time of the outdoor season. Isinbayeva won the competition, with Stuczynski finishing second. Both attempted a new world record of 5.04&nbsp;metres. Isinbayeva was tantalizingly close on her final attempt, with the bar falling only after Isinbayeva had landed on the mat.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/GP08/news/kind=100/newsid=46301.html Silnov scales 2.38m world lead in London – IAAF World Athletics Tour]. iaaf.org (25 July 2008). Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref>

She successfully cleared that height on 29 July, in [[Monte Carlo]], Monaco, her twenty-third world record.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/GP08/news/kind=100/newsid=46371.html Isinbayeva 5.04m World record; another four season leads in Monaco – IAAF World Athletics Tour]. iaaf.org (29 July 2008). Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref>

At the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in Beijing on 18 August, Isinbayeva needed two vaults to prolong her Olympic title reign and went on to finish the competition with 5.05m, a world record at the time, her 24th world record.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/7519896.stm BBC SPORT | Olympics | Results – Monday 18 August]. BBC News (24 August 2008). Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref>

On 23 November in [[Monaco]], she was selected [[IAAF World Athlete of the Year|World Athlete of the Year]] by the [[IAAF]] for the third time in her career, along with Jamaican male [[Sprint (running)|sprinter]] [[Usain Bolt]].

===Break and return===
[[File:Isinbayeva Berlin 2009.jpg|thumb|In competition at the [[2009 World Championships in athletics|World Championships]] in [[Berlin]]]]

Isinbayeva started the 2009 season by becoming the first woman to vault over 5&nbsp;metres indoors. She first raised her world indoor mark with a vault of 4.97&nbsp;m, then raised the bar to 5.00&nbsp;m and cleared that height as well. The two marks were set at the [[Pole Vault Stars]] indoor meet, on 15 February, in [[Donetsk]], Ukraine. It was the sixth consecutive year she had set an indoor world record in this meet.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=49333.html Isinbayeva debuts with 5.00m World Record in Donetsk!] – Updated</ref> She received the [[Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year]] in recognition of her achievements – it was also the fifth time she had been nominated for the award in as many years.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=50753.html Isinbayeva wins prestigious world sports award again]. [[IAAF]] (27 May 2009). Retrieved 30 May 2009.</ref>

At the [[2009 World Championships in Athletics|2009 World Championships]] in Berlin, Germany, Isinbayeva lost her second competition of the year after failing to achieve a successful vault. The world champion was [[Anna Rogowska]] who also beat her in the [[London Athletics Grand Prix]] in May.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUSTRE57G4NP20090817 |title=Poland's Rogowska ends Isinbayeva's streak |last=Cherry |first=Gene |date=17 August 2009 |access-date=17 August 2009 |work=Reuters}}</ref> However, Yelena Isinbayeva broke her own women's pole vault world record at the [[Weltklasse Zürich|Weltklasse]] Golden League meeting by clearing 5.06&nbsp;m. On 2 September she was given the 2009 [[Prince of Asturias Award]] for Sports.

[[File:Yelena Isinbayeva Doha 2010 (cropped 2).jpg|thumb|left|Isinbayeva at the [[2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships]] in [[Doha]]]]
She hoped to put her World Championships no-mark performance behind her by aiming for a world indoor record at the [[2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships]].<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/7421589/World-Indoor-Athletics-2010-Yelena-Isinbayeva-aims-for-new-pole-vault-record.html World Indoor Athletics 2010: Yelena Isinbayeva aims for new pole vault record]. ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' (11 March 2010). Retrieved 7 February 2011.</ref> The Russian cleared her opening height of 4.60&nbsp;m at the championships in [[Doha]], but she faltered at 4.75&nbsp;m and she ended up in fourth place and outside of the medals for a second consecutive time.<ref>Ramsak, Bob (14 March 2010). [http://www.iaaf.org/WIC10/news/kind=100/newsid=56169.html Doha 2010 – Murer upgrades to gold in women's Pole Vault]. [[IAAF]]. Retrieved 7 February 2011.</ref> Following another disappointment at a major championships, she decided to take time out from the sport to recuperate, saying: "A break from competing is absolutely necessary for me. After more than eight years of very hard training and competing at the highest levels both indoors and outdoors each year I need to step back in order for my body to properly recover".<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/8613402.stm Pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva takes indefinite break]. [[BBC Sport]] (10 April 2010). Retrieved 7 February 2011.</ref>

She missed the opportunity to defend her title at the [[2010 European Athletics Championships|2010 European Championships]] and she was succeeded by her compatriot Svetlana Feofanova, while [[Fabiana Murer]] went on to claim the inaugural [[Diamond League]] pole vault series. Isinbayeva continued to train with Vitaliy Petrov in Monaco during her time out, however, although did not appear in competition until the start of the 2011 indoor season.<ref>Martin, David (3 February 2011). [https://www.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-54636120110203 INTERVIEW – Nerveless Isinbayeva back to reclaim throne]. [[Reuters]]. Retrieved 7 February 2011.</ref> The [[Russian Winter Meeting]] in February 2011 was the venue for her comeback and she demonstrated her resurgence of form with a first time clearance of 4.81&nbsp;m, comfortably defeating Feofanava.<ref>Nickolai Dolgopolov and Rostislav (6 February 2011). Orlov [http://www.iaaf.org/WIM11/news/newsid=59236.html Isinbayeva makes 4.81m comeback in Moscow]. [[IAAF]]. Retrieved 7 February 2011.</ref>

In March 2011, Isinbayeva left her coach Vitaly Petrov and returned to Volgograd to her former mentor Yevgeny Trofimov,<ref>{{cite news|agency=Reuters |url=http://www.supersport.com/athletics/international/news/110313/Isinbayeva_returns_to_former_mentor_Trofimov |title=Isinbayeva returns to former mentor Trofimov – SuperSport – Athletics |publisher=SuperSport |date=13 March 2011 |access-date=17 August 2012}}</ref> who had coached her since the age of 15 and until 2005. During the 2011 summer season she participated in only a few competitions and on 29 July she won the [[2011 Diamond League]] meeting in Stockholm with a season best of 4.76 m. However, in the [[2011 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]] in [[Daegu]] she ended up again outside of the medals, taking the sixth place with 4.65 m.

She began 2012 with a clearance of 4.70&nbsp;m at the Governor's Cup in Volgograd.<ref>Nickolai Dolgopolov and Rostislav Orlov (21 January 2012). [http://www.iaaf.org/Mini/WIC12/News/NewsDetail.aspx?id=63389 Isinbayeva clears 4.70m in Volgograd]. IAAF. Retrieved 22 January 2012.</ref> At the 2012 Olympic Games, she easily qualified for the finals, where she came third with 4.70&nbsp;m. She considered the bronze medal a success but mentioned that she would like to retire as acting Olympic champion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sports.ru/others/athletics/142512906.html|script-title=ru:Елена Исинбаева: "Вы хотите сказать, кто-то прыгает лучше меня? Абсурд!"|last=Калашников|first=Иван|date=7 August 2012 |publisher=Sports.ru|language=ru|access-date=7 August 2012}}</ref> During the London Games she caused surprise and amusement in Britain when she was reported to have told Russian TV that the people of the UK were not interested in the Olympic Games and many Londoners were not even aware they were happening in their city.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19083623 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130419205039/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19083623 |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 April 2013 |title=BBC Sport – London 2012 Olympics: Day 12 afternoon session |publisher=BBC |date=8 August 2012 |access-date=17 August 2012}}</ref>

In 2016, during the Russian nationals, she posted the world leading jump of 4.90&nbsp;m following a ban of Russian track and field from the Olympics. The ban prevented her from taking part in the [[2016 Summer Olympics|Rio Olympics]], but she was elected to serve an 8-year term on the [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]]'s [[Athletes' Commission]],<ref name=Guardian19Aug2016a>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/yelena-isinbayeva-ioc-voted-athletes-commision-russia-pole-vault-ban |title=Yelena Isinbayeva voted on to IOC athletes' commission despite ban|work=The Guardian|agency=Reuters|date=19 August 2016|access-date=22 August 2016}}</ref><ref name=IOC-18Aug2016a>{{cite web |url=https://www.olympic.org/news/rio-olympians-elect-four-new-members-to-ioc-athletes-commission |title=Rio Olympians elect four members to IOC Athletes' Commission |publisher=International Olympic Committee|date=18 August 2016|access-date=22 August 2016|quote=Heidemann was elected with 1,603 votes, followed by Ryu with 1,544, Gyurta with 1,469 votes and Isinbayeva with 1,365. A total of 5,185 athletes voted.}}</ref> after which she announced her retirement from athletics.<ref name=BBC19Aug2016a>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/37136618 |title=Yelena Isinbayeva: Russia's former Olympic and World pole vault champion retires |publisher=BBC| date=19 August 2016|access-date=22 August 2016}}</ref>

In December 2016, Isinbayeva became the chair of the supervisory board of the [[Russian Anti-Doping Agency]].<ref name=AP161207>{{cite news |url= https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/article/isinbayeva-to-oversee-russian-anti-doping-agency/ |title= Isinbayeva to oversee Russian anti-doping agency |agency= [[Associated Press]] |publisher= [[CTV News]] |date= 7 December 2016}}</ref>

== Activism and views ==
[[File:Dmitry Medvedev and Yelena Isinbayeva (cropped).jpg|thumb|Isinbayeva with the Russian President [[Dmitry Medvedev]] in 2009]]
In 2012, Isinbayeva became an {{Interlanguage link|Trustee of a candidate for the President of the Russian Federation|lt=authorised representative|ru|Доверенное лицо кандидата в Президенты Российской Федерации}} for [[Vladimir Putin]] during the [[2012 Russian presidential election]]. In November 2017, she joined [[PutinTeam]], a social movement to support Putin and [[Vladimir Putin 2018 presidential campaign|his 2018 Russian presidential campaign]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Ladden-Hall |first=Dan |date=12 July 2023 |title=Top Putin Confidante Secretly Moved to Island Paradise: Report |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/vladimir-putin-confidante-and-olympic-hero-yelena-isinbayeva-is-secretly-living-it-up-in-tenerife |access-date=17 July 2023 |work=[[The Daily Beast]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=12 July 2023 |title=Putin loyalist and former Olympic pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva moves to NATO country |url=https://theins.info/en/news/263377 |access-date=17 July 2023 |website=[[The Insider (website)|The Insider]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=17 July 2023 |title="I am a woman of the world": Putin Team member and former pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva says she will continue working for the IOC |url=https://theins.info/en/news/263497 |access-date=19 July 2023 |website=[[The Insider (website)|The Insider]] |language=en}}</ref>

After the [[Court of Arbitration for Sport]] turned down an appeal by Russian athletes, Isinbayeva wrote, "Let all those pseudo clean foreign athletes breathe a sigh of relief and win their pseudo gold medals in our absence. They always did fear strength."<ref name=CNN160721>{{cite news |url= https://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/21/sport/russia-doping-ban-rio-2016-olympic-games/index.html |title=Russia Olympic ban: Six questions answered |first1= Tom |last1= McGowan |first2= John |last2= Sinnott |work= [[CNN]] |date= 21 July 2016}}</ref> She called for whistleblower [[Yuliya Stepanova]] to be "banned for life".<ref name=AP160724>{{cite news |url= https://sports.yahoo.com/news/latest-russia-awaits-ioc-verdict-total-olympics-ban-111655530--oly.html |title= The Latest: IOC VP: ruling was 'justice for clean athletes' |agency= [[Associated Press]] |date= 24 July 2016}}</ref>

After she became chair of the [[Russian Anti-Doping Agency]]'s supervisory board, IAAF taskforce chair Rune Andersen stated, "It is difficult to see how this helps to achieve the desired change in culture in track and field, or how it helps to promote an open environment for Russian whistleblowers", noting that Isinbayeva had called a WADA report "groundless" without reading it, publicly criticised whistleblowers (Andrei Dmitriev<!--1500m runner, may or may not be the redlinked athlete who ran 8k in 2009. Russian Wiki no help.-->, [[Yuliya Stepanova]], and Vitaliy Stepanov), and had not signed a pledge for clean sport or endorsed a Russian anti-doping group.<ref name=IAAF170408>{{cite web |url= https://www.iaaf.org/download/download?filename=b94022d8-fd51-4387-ae00-e1bff2398d7c.pdf&urlSlug=iaaf-taskforce-interim-report-to-iaaf-council1 |title= IAAF Taskforce: Interim report to IAAF Council, 12-13 April 2017 |pages= 4–5 |publisher= International Association of Athletics Federations |first= Rune |last= Andersen |date= 8 April 2017}}</ref>

On 15 August 2013, Isinbayeva condemned homosexuality, called foreign athletes to "respect Russian traditions" and criticized athletes for supporting LGBT rights. She expresed support for a [[LGBT rights in Russia#Bans on "homosexual propaganda that targets children"|law banning "homosexual propaganda that targets children" in Russia]], which had drawn sharp criticism from some representatives of the international community and had led [[LGBT rights in Russia#International reactions and boycott|activists to call for a boycott]] of the [[2014 Winter Olympics]] in the Russian resort of [[Sochi]].<ref>{{cite news |date=15 August 2013 |title=Russian pole vault champ Yelena Isinbayeva condemns homosexuality, supports new anti-gay law |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/russian-pole-vault-champ-condemns-homosexuality-article-1.1427596 |access-date=15 August 2013 |newspaper=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Isinbayeva was an ambassador for the games and welcomed athletes as a "mayor" of the [[Olympic Village]] at Sochi.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gold |first=Michael |date=15 August 2013 |title='Mayor' of Sochi Olympic Village criticizes athletes for supporting LGBT rights. |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/gay-in-maryland/gay-matters/bs-gm-sochi-athlete-greeter-criticizes-athletes-for-supporting-lgbt-rights-20130815,0,7975077.story |access-date=16 August 2013 |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] }}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> She later released a statement through the [[IAAF]], athletics' world governing body, saying that she was "misunderstood" due to poor English.<ref>{{cite news |date=16 August 2013 |title=Yelena Isinbayeva claims 'I have been misunderstood' after backlash for backing Russia's anti-gay law |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/10246950/Yelena-Isinbayeva-claims-I-have-been-misunderstood-after-backlash-for-backing-Russias-anti-gay-law.html |access-date=16 August 2013 |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref>

Earlier, Isinbayeva had made critical remarks in response to a gesture made by the Swedish high-jumper [[Emma Green Tregaro]] and others who had painted their fingernails in rainbow colours as an expression of support for gays and lesbians in Russia and in protest against recently passed laws banning what the Russian government described as propaganda for nontraditional sexual relations directed at minors. The [[Swedish Olympic Committee]] subsequently cautioned their athletes against engaging in the same type of demonstrations at the Sochi Olympics.<ref>{{cite news |title=Swedish Athletes Warned Ahead of Sochi Games |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323980604579026644268541568 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822010555/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323980604579026644268541568.html |archive-date=22 August 2013 |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |quote=The Swedish Olympic committee has cautioned Swedish athletes not to engage in the type of political manifestations carried out by Swedish high jumper Emma Green Tregaro at the track and field world championships in Moscow this month. |agency=WSJ Wire Services}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Shoigu, Isinbaeva.jpg|thumb|left|Isinbaeva receiving promotion to the rank of major from the [[Ministry of Defence (Russia)|Minister of Defence]] [[Sergei Shoigu]] (2015)]]
Her father, Gadzhi Gadzhiyevich Isinbayev, is a [[Tabasaran people|Tabasaran]] [[plumber]] while her mother, a shop assistant, is [[Russians|Russian]]. Isinbayeva also has a sister named Inna. Isinbayeva came from humble beginnings and remembers that her parents had to make many financial sacrifices in her early career.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2006/jan/03/athletics.comment Vaulting towards Bubka's benchmark], The Guardian, 3 January 2006</ref><ref name="Guardian2005">[https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2005/jul/17/athletics.jamiejackson Athletics: Isinbayeva raises the bar | Sport | The Observer]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref><ref name="Herald">{{cite web|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/135123/nerveless-return-business.html|title=Nerveless return to business|date=5 February 2011|access-date=26 August 2016}}</ref>

She has two children: Eva, born 28 June 2014, and Dobrynya, born 14 February 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yelena Isinbayeva gives birth to daughter - Times of India |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/off-the-field/Yelena-Isinbayeva-gives-birth-to-daughter/articleshow/37457686.cms |access-date=26 August 2016 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=4 April 2018 |title=Исинбаева: оказывается, быть мамой двоих детей не так уж просто (Isinbayeva: it turns out that being a mother of two children is not so easy) |url=https://www.championat.com/other/news-3395221-isinbaeva-okazyvaetsja-byt-mamoj-dvoih-detej-ne-tak-uzh-prosto.html |access-date=27 July 2023 |work=Championat |language=ru}}</ref> She married Eva's father, [[javelin throw]]er Nikita Petinov (b. 1990) shortly before their daughter's birth and had a wedding celebration on 12 December 2014.<ref>{{cite web |date=13 December 2014 |title=Исинбаева призналась, что они с Петиновым расписались еще до рождения дочери |url=http://rsport.ru/around/20141213/794635294.html |publisher=[[Rossiya Segodnya]] |language=ru}}</ref> On 7 February 2014, Isinbayeva, while pregnant, was one of the final torch bearers for the [[2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony]].

She has both a [[Bachelor's degree|Bachelor]]'s and [[Master's degree|Master]]'s Degree after graduating from the {{ill|Volgograd State Academy of Physical Culture|ru|Волгоградская государственная академия физической культуры}}. Currently she is continuing her post-graduate studies there and also studying at the [[Donetsk National Technical University]].<ref>[http://www.donbass.ua/news/home-and-family/education-and-career/2009/03/09/uspet-vsjo-kak-sovmestit-uchebu-s-rabotoi.html Успеть всё! Как совместить учебу с работой :: donbass.ua – новости Донбасса] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914135548/http://www.donbass.ua/news/home-and-family/education-and-career/2009/03/09/uspet-vsjo-kak-sovmestit-uchebu-s-rabotoi.html |date=14 September 2013 }}. donbass.ua. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref>

In the Russian club competitions she represents the railroad [[Russian Armed Forces|military]] team; she is formally an officer in the Russian army, and on 4 August 2005 she was given the military rank of senior lieutenant<ref>[http://lenta.ru/news/2005/08/04/isinbayeva/ Елена Исинбаева стала старшим лейтенантом железнодорожных войск]. [[Lenta.Ru]]. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref> before being promoted to [[captain]] in August 2008.<ref>[http://novopol.ru/text50186.html Новая Политика – Прыгнув на 5,05 метров, старший лейтенант Исинбаева стала капитаном]. Novopol.ru. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref> In 2015, she was promoted to the rank of [[Major (rank)|major]]<ref name=":1" /> and signed a five-year contract with the [[Russian Armed Forces]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 May 2015 |title=Olympic Pole Vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva Signs 5-Year Contract With Russian Army |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2015/05/06/olympic-pole-vaulter-yelena-isinbayeva-signs-5-year-contract-with-russian-army-a46343 |access-date=19 July 2023 |website=[[The Moscow Times]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

On 2 December 2010, she gave a speech before the FIFA delegates in Zürich. Later on that occasion it was announced that Russia would host the [[2018 FIFA World Cup]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/sport/63232/russian-pole-vault-champion-impresses-fifa-with-girl-power-appeal|title=Russian pole vault champion impresses FIFA with girl power appeal|date=3 December 2010|publisher=Radio New Zealand|access-date=15 February 2012}}</ref>

Yelena Isinbayeva is now a member of the 'Champions for Peace' club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport, created by [[Peace and Sport]], a [[Monaco]]-based international organization.<ref>[http://www.peace-sport.org/ Accueil]. Peace-sport.org. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref>

In July 2023, it was reported by the [[Anti-Corruption Foundation]] that Isinbayeva had acquired Spanish citizenship and held multiple properties in Spain.<ref>''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPuA_TWJNhg Yelena Isinbayeva: The Spanish life of Putin's assistant]'', Навальный LIVE, 2023</ref>

==International competitions==
[[File:Osaka07 D4A Isinbayeva Celebrating.jpg|thumb|right|Isinbayeva celebrating her 2007 World Championships win.]]

{| {{AchievementTable|Result=yes|nation=RUS}}
|-
|rowspan=2|1998
|[[1998 World Youth Games|World Youth Games]]
|[[Moscow]], Russia
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|4.00 m
|-
|[[1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics|World Junior Championships]]
|[[Annecy]], France
|9th
|[[1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|3.90 m]]
|-
|rowspan=2|1999
|[[1999 World Youth Championships in Athletics|World Youth Championships]]
|[[Bydgoszcz]], Poland
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|4.10 m
|{{AthAbbr|WYR}}
|-
|[[1999 European Athletics Junior Championships|European Junior Championships]]
|[[Riga]], Latvia
|5th
|4.05 m
|-
|2000
|[[2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics|World Junior Championships]]
|[[Santiago]], Chile
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|[[2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|4.20 m]]
|{{AthAbbr|WJR}}
|-
|2001
|[[2001 European Athletics Junior Championships|European Junior Championships]]
|[[Grosseto]], Italy
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|4.40 m
|{{AthAbbr|CR}}
|-
|2002
|[[2002 European Athletics Championships|European Championships]]
|[[Munich]], Germany
|style="background: silver"| 2nd
|[[2002 European Athletics Championships – Women's pole vault|4.55 m]]
|-
|rowspan=3|2003
|[[2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
|[[Birmingham]], United Kingdom
|style="background: silver"| 2nd
|[[2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|4.60 m]]
|-
|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|Paris, France
| style="background:#c96;"| 3rd
|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|4.65 m]]
|-
|[[2003 European Athletics U23 Championships|European U23 Championships]]
|[[Bydgoszcz]], Poland
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|[[2003 European Athletics U23 Championships – Women's pole vault|4.65 m]]
|{{AthAbbr|CR}}
|-
|rowspan=3|2004
|[[2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
|[[Budapest]], Hungary
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|[[2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|4.86 m]]
|{{AthAbbr|WR|women's pole vault}}
|-
|[[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]]
|[[Athens]], Greece
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|[[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's pole vault|4.91 m]]
|{{AthAbbr|WR|women's pole vault}}
|-
|[[2004 IAAF World Athletics Final|IAAF World Athletics Final]]
|[[Monte Carlo]], Monaco
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|4.83 m
|-
|rowspan=3|2005
|[[2005 European Athletics Indoor Championships|European Indoor Championships]]
|[[Madrid]], Spain
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|[[2005 European Athletics Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|4.90 m]]
|{{AthAbbr|WRi|Women's indoor pole vault}}
|-
|[[2005 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Helsinki]], Finland
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|[[2005 World Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|5.01 m]]
|{{AthAbbr|WR|women's pole vault}}
|-
|[[2005 IAAF World Athletics Final|IAAF World Athletics Final]]
|[[Monte Carlo]], Monaco
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|4.74 m
|-
|rowspan=4|2006
|[[2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
|[[Moscow]], Russia
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|[[2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|4.80 m]]
|-
|[[2006 European Athletics Championships|European Championships]]
|[[Gothenburg]], Sweden
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|[[2006 European Athletics Championships – Women's pole vault|4.80 m]]
|{{AthAbbr|CR}}
|-
|[[2006 IAAF World Athletics Final|IAAF World Athletics Final]]
|[[Stuttgart]], Germany
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|4.75 m
|-
|[[2006 IAAF World Cup|World Cup]]
|[[Athens]], Greece
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|4.60 m
|{{AthAbbr|CR}}
|-
|rowspan=3|2007
|[[2007 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Osaka]], Japan
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|[[2007 World Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|4.80 m]]
|-
|[[2007 IAAF Golden League|IAAF Golden League]]
|Various
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|6/6 Wins
|Jackpot winner
|-
|[[2007 IAAF World Athletics Final|IAAF World Athletics Final]]
|[[Stuttgart]], Germany
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|4.87 m
|{{AthAbbr|CR}}
|-
|rowspan=2|2008
|[[2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
|[[Valencia]], Spain
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|[[2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|4.75 m]]
|-
|[[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]]
|[[Beijing]], China
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|[[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's pole vault|5.05 m]]
|{{AthAbbr|WR|women's pole vault}}
|-
|rowspan=3|2009
|[[2009 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Berlin]], Germany
| —
|[[2009 World Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|NM]]
|-
|[[2009 IAAF Golden League|IAAF Golden League]]
|Various
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|6/6 Wins
|Jackpot winner
|-
|[[2009 IAAF World Athletics Final|World Athletics Final]]
|[[Thessaloniki]], Greece
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|4.80 m
|-
|2010
|[[2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
|[[Doha]], Qatar
|4th
|[[2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|4.60 m]]
|-
|2011
|[[2011 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Daegu]], South Korea
|6th
|[[2011 World Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|4.65 m]]
|-
|rowspan=2|2012
|[[2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
|[[Istanbul]], Turkey
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|[[2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's pole vault|4.80 m]]
|-
|[[Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]]
|[[London]], United Kingdom
|style="background:#c96;"| 3rd
|[[Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's pole vault|4.70 m]] 
|-
|2013
|[[2013 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
|[[Moscow]], Russia
|style="background: gold"| 1st
|[[2013 World Championships in Athletics – Women's pole vault|4.89 m]]
|}

==Results==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=July 2023}}
[[File:Isinbaeva.JPG|thumb|Isinbayeva with a winner's bouquet]]
2004
* 1st – 4.83 m – [[Pole Vault Stars]], Donetsk, Ukraine
* '''1st – 4.86 m – World Indoor Championships, Budapest, Hungary''' (WR)
* 1st – 4.87 m – IAAF Gateshead, Great Britain (WR)
* 1st – 4.89 m – Birmingham International Meeting, Great Britain (WR)
* 1st – 4.90 m – British Grand Prix London, Great Britain (WR)
* '''1st – 4.91 m – Summer Olympics, Athens, Greece''' (WR)
* 1st – 4.92 m – Golden League Brussels, Belgium (WR)
* 1st – 4.83 m – 2nd World Athletics Final, Monte Carlo, Monaco

2005
* 1st – 4.87 m – Pole Vault Stars, Donetsk, Ukraine
* '''1st – 4.90 m – European Indoor Championships, Madrid, Spain'''
* 1st – 4.93 m – IAAF Lausanne, Switzerland (WR)
* 1st – 4.95 m – Meeting de Madrid, Spain (WR)
* 1st – 5.00 m – IAAF London, Great Britain (WR)
* 1st – 4.79 m – IAAF Stockholm, Sweden
* '''1st – 5.01 m – World Championships, Helsinki, Finland''' (WR)
* 1st – 4.93 m – Golden League Brussels, Belgium
* 1st – 4.74 m – 3rd World Athletics Final, Monte Carlo, Monaco

2006
* 1st – 4.91 m – Pole Vault Stars, Donetsk, Ukraine (iWR)
* 1st – 4.79 m – Norwich Union Grand Prix, Birmingham, Great Britain
* 1st – 4.72 m – Meeting Gaz de France du Pas-de-Calais, Lievin, France
* '''1st – 4.80 m – World Indoor Championships, Moscow, Russia'''
* 1st – 4.76 m – IAAF Paris Saint-Denis, France
* 1st – 4.90 m – IAAF Lausanne, Switzerland
* 1st – 4.91 m – IAAF London, Great Britain
* '''1st – 4.80 m – European Championships, Gothenburg, Sweden'''
* 1st – 4.81 m – Golden League Brussels, Belgium
* 1st – 4.75 m – 4th World Athletics Final, Stuttgart, Germany

2007
* 1st – 4.93 m – Pole Vault Stars, Donetsk, Ukraine (iWR)
* 1st – 4.91 m – Meeting Gaz De France, Paris, France 
* 1st – 4.90 m – Golden League Rome, Italy
* 1st – 4.82 m – Norwich Union Super Grand Prix, London, Great Britain
* '''1st – 4.80 m – World Championships, Osaka, Japan'''
* 1st – Golden League Brussels, Belgium
* 1st – 4.87 m – 5th World Athletics Final, Stuttgart, Germany

2008
* 1st – 4.95 m – Pole Vault Stars, Donetsk, Ukraine (iWR)
* '''1st – 4.75 m – World Indoor Championships, Valencia, Spain'''
* 1st – 5.03 m – Golden Gala, Rome, Italy (WR)
* 1st – 5.04 m – Super Grand Prix, Monte Carlo, Monaco (WR)
* '''1st – 5.05 m – Summer Olympics, Beijing, China''' (WR)
* 1st – 4.88 m – IAAF Zürich, Switzerland

2009
* '''1st – 5.00 m – Pole Vault Stars, Donetsk, Ukraine''' (iWR)
* 1st – 4.82 m – Aviva Grand Prix, Birmingham, Great Britain
* 1st – 4.83 m – ISATF Berlin, Germany
* 1st – 4.65 m – Meeting Gaz de France, Paris, France
* 2nd – 4.68 m – Aviva London Grand Prix, London, Great Britain
* no height recorded – World Championships, Berlin, Germany
* '''1st – 5.06 m – IAAF Golden League, Zürich, Switzerland''' (WR)

2010
* 1st – 4.85 m – Russian Winter Meeting, Moscow, Russia
* 1st – 4.85 m – Pole Vault Stars, Donetsk, Ukraine
* 4th – 4.60 m – World Indoor Championships, Doha, Qatar

2011
* 1st – 4.81 m – Russian Winter Meeting, Moscow, Russia
* 1st – 4.85 m – Pole Vault Stars, Donetsk, Ukraine
* 1st – 4.60 m – Night of Athletics, Heusden, Belgium
* 1st – 4.76 m – Diamond League, Stockholm, Sweden
* 6th – 4.65 m – World Championships, Daegu, South Korea

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

2013
* 1st – 4.78 m – Ostrava Meeting, Ostrava, Czech Republic
* 1st – 4.75 m – Russian National Championship, Moscow, Russia
* '''1st – 4.89 m – World Championships, Moscow, Russia'''

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

==World record progression by Isinbayeva==

Yelena Isinbayeva has set 17 world records and 13 indoor world records. Several of her indoor world records were also ratified as world records.<ref name="iaaf">"From 2000, [[IAAF]] Rule 260.18s (formerly 260.6.a) was amended to say [[World record|world records]] (as opposed to indoor world records) can be set in a facility 'with or without a roof.' So far, only one event – the women's pole vault – has been affected by this change, which was not applied retrospectively. Therefore world records set in 2000 and 2001 by Stacy Dragila and Svetlana Feofanova can be regarded as 'absolute' and appear on these [record progression] lists." [http://www.iaaf.org/mm/document/competitions/competition/05/15/63/20090706014834_httppostedfile_p345-688_11303.pdf] (p.546) This rule also applies to Isinbayev's and Feofanova's 2004 marks.</ref>

{|class="wikitable" 
|+ World Records
! Performance
! Venue
! Date
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.82 m || [[Gateshead]], England || 14 July 2003
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|''4.83i m'' || ''[[Donetsk]], Ukraine'' || ''15 February 2004''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|''4.86i m'' || ''[[Budapest]], Hungary'' || ''6 March 2004''
|-|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.87 m|| [[Gateshead]], England || 27 June 2004
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.89 m|| [[Birmingham]], England || 25 July 2004
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.90 m|| London, England || 30 July 2004
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.91 m|| [[Athens]], Greece || 24 August 2004
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.92 m|| [[Brussels]], Belgium || 3 September 2004
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.93 m|| [[Lausanne]], Switzerland || 5 July 2005
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.95 m|| [[Madrid]], Spain || 16 July 2005
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.96 m|| London, England || 22 July 2005
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|5.00 m|| London, England || 22 July 2005
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|5.01 m|| [[Helsinki]], Finland || 12 August 2005
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|5.03 m|| [[Rome]], Italy || 11 July 2008
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|5.04 m|| [[Monaco]] || 29 July 2008
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|5.05 m|| [[Beijing]], China || 18 August 2008
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|'''5.06 m''' || '''[[Zürich]], Switzerland''' || '''28 August 2009'''
|}
{|class="wikitable"
|+ Indoor World Records
!Performance
!Venue
!Date
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.81 m || [[Donetsk, Ukraine]]|| 15 February 2004
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.83 m || [[Donetsk, Ukraine]]|| 15 February 2004
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.86 m || [[Budapest, Hungary]]|| 6 March 2004
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.87 m || [[Donetsk, Ukraine]]|| 12 February 2005
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.88 m || [[Birmingham]], England|| 15 February 2005
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.89 m || [[Lievin]], France|| 18 February 2005
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.90 m || [[Donetsk, Ukraine]]|| 26 February 2005
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.91 m || [[Madrid, Spain]]|| 6 March 2005
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.93 m || [[Donetsk, Ukraine]]|| 12 February 2006
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.95 m || [[Donetsk, Ukraine]]|| 10 February 2007
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|4.97 m || [[Donetsk, Ukraine]]|| 16 February 2008
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|5.00 m || [[Donetsk, Ukraine]]|| 15 February 2009
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|'''5.01 m''' || '''[[Stockholm, Sweden]]'''|| '''23 February 2012'''
|}

==Records list==
(''Records in '''bold''' are current ones.'')

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Record category
!Performance
!Venue
!Date
|-
|World Youth Record
| style="text-align:center;"|4.10 m
|[[Bydgoszcz]], Poland
|{{dts|1999|7|18|format=dmy}}
|-
|World Junior Championship
| style="text-align:center;"|4.20 m
|[[Santiago]], Chile
|{{dts|2000|10|8|format=dmy}}
|-
|European Junior Championship
| style="text-align:center;"|4.40 m
|[[Grosseto]], Italy
|{{dts|2001|7|21|format=dmy}}
|-
|World Junior Record
| style="text-align:center;"|4.46 m
|Berlin, Germany
|{{dts|2001|8|2|format=dmy}}
|-
|World Junior Record
| style="text-align:center;"|4.47 m
|[[Budapest]], Hungary
|{{dts|2001|2|10|format=dmy}}
|-
| European U-23 Championship
| style="text-align:center;"|4.65 m
|[[Bydgoszcz]], Poland
|{{dts|format=dmy|2003|7|19}}
|-
|Olympic Record
| style="text-align:center;"|4.91 m
|[[Athens]], Greece
|{{dts|format=dmy|2004|8|24}}
|-
|'''Olympic Record'''
| style="text-align:center;"|'''5.05 m'''
|'''Beijing, China'''
|'''{{dts|format=dmy|2008|8|18}}'''
|-
|World Indoor Championships
| style="text-align:center;"|4.86 m
|[[Budapest]], Hungary
|{{dts|format=dmy|2004|3|6}}
|-
|'''World Championships''' 
| style="text-align:center;"|'''5.01 m'''
|'''[[Helsinki]], Finland'''
|'''{{dts|format=dmy|2005|8|12}}'''
|-
|'''European Indoor Championships'''
| style="text-align:center;"|'''4.90 m'''
|'''[[Madrid]], Spain'''
|'''{{dts|format=dmy|2005|3|6}}'''
|-
|European Championships
| style="text-align:center;"|4.80 m
|[[Gothenburg]], Sweden
|{{dts|format=dmy|2006|8|12}}
|-
|World Record (Indoor)
| style="text-align:center;"|5.01 m
|[[Stockholm]], Sweden
|{{dts|format=dmy|2012|2|23}}
|-
|'''World Record (Outdoor)'''
| style="text-align:center;"|'''5.06 m'''
|'''[[Zürich]], Switzerland'''
|'''{{dts|format=dmy|2009|8|28}}'''
|-
|'''IAAF Golden League'''
| style="text-align:center;"|'''5.06 m'''
|'''[[Zürich]], Switzerland'''
|'''{{dts|format=dmy|2009|8|28}}'''
|}

==See also==
*[[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]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}

*{{World Athletics}}
*[http://www.flocasts.com/flotrack/search.php?q=yelena+isinbayeva Flotrack.com Video Interview of Yelena Isinbayeva during the 100th Millrose Games]
*[http://www.forbes.ru/profile/elena-isinbaeva Yelena Isinbayeva at the Forbes]

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{succession box|before=[[Stacy Dragila]]<br>[[Svetlana Feofanova]]<br>[[Svetlana Feofanova]]
|title=[[Women's pole vault world record progression|Women's Pole Vault World Record Holder]]
|years=13 July 2003 – 20 February 2004<br>6 March 2004 – 4 July 2004<br>25 July 2004 – 
|after=[[Svetlana Feofanova]]<br>[[Svetlana Feofanova]]<br>Incumbent}}
{{s-ach|aw}}
{{succession box|title=[[Track & Field Athlete of the Year|Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year]]|before=[[Hestrie Cloete]]|after=[[Sanya Richards]]|years=2004–2005}}
{{succession box
| before= [[Valentina Vezzali]]<br>[[Justine Henin]]
| title= [[La Gazzetta dello Sport|''Gazzetta dello Sport''<br>Sportswoman of the Year]]
| years= 2005<br>2008
| after= [[Laure Manaudou]]<br>[[Federica Pellegrini]]
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Pole Vault Women}}
{{Footer World Champions Pole Vault Women}}
{{Footer World Indoor Champions Pole Vault Women}}
{{Footer European Champions Pole Vault Women}}
{{Footer European Indoor Champions Pole Vault Women}}
{{Footer U23 European Champions Pole Vault Women}}
{{Footer IAAF World Cup Champions Pole Vault Women}}
{{Russian Athletics Championships women's pole vault champions}}
{{Footer World Junior Champions women's pole vault}}
{{Footer IAAF World Youth Champions Pole Vault Women}}
{{Footer WBYP Pole Vault Women}}
{{Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year}}
{{IAAF World Athlete of the Year (women)}}
{{European Athlete of the Year (women)}}
{{Prince of Asturias Award for Sports}}
{{PAP European Sportsperson of the Year}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Isinbayeva, Yelena}}
[[Category:1982 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Athletes from Volgograd]]
[[Category:Russian women pole vaulters]]
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[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Russia]]
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[[Category:IAAF Golden League winners]]
[[Category:World record setters in the sport of athletics]]
[[Category:World Athletics record holders]]
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[[Category:Track & Field News Athlete of the Year winners]]
[[Category:Tabasaran people]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 2nd class]]
[[Category:21st-century Russian sportswomen]]