Yelena Isinbayeva from Russia holds the Laureus World Sport award 2009 in Rome, Wednesday, May 27, 2009. The Laureus World Sports Awards are the sports awards honoring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year. Isinbayeveva won the gold medal in the pole vault event and broke her own world record at the Beijing Olympic games setting the mark of 16 feet. AP Photo logo AP Photo 6 months ago

Yelena Isinbayeva from Russia holds the Laureus World Sport award 2009 in Rome, Wednesday, May 27, 2009. The Laureus World Sports Awards are the sports awards honoring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year. Isinbayeveva won the gold medal in the pole vault event and broke her own world record at the Beijing Olympic games setting the mark of 16 feet.

More Photos of

Explore Photos of Related Topics

  1. Chinese 110-meter hurdler Liu Xiang, right, and Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, left, shake hands after a press conference of Shanghai Golden Grand Prix Friday Sept. 18, 2009 in Shanghiai, China. Liu plans to compete at the one-day competition at Shanghai Stadium Sunday. That would be the first race after injury at Beijing Olympics in 2008.
  2. SHANGHAI, CHINA - SEPTEMBER 18: Russian pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva(L) and Chinese 110-meter hurdles Liu Xiang(R) shake hands at the press conference of 2009 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix on September 18, 2009 in Shanghai of China. Olympic champions and world record holders of track and field competitions will participate in the one-day competition at Shanghai Stadium on September 20.
  3. SHANGHAI, CHINA - SEPTEMBER 18: Russian pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva(L) and Chinese 110-meter hurdles Liu Xiang(R) smile at the press conference of 2009 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix on September 18, 2009 in Shanghai of China. Olympic champions and world record holders of track and field competitions will participate in the one-day competition at Shanghai Stadium on September 20.
  4. SHANGHAI, CHINA - SEPTEMBER 18: Russian pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva(L) and Chinese 110-meter hurdles Liu Xiang(R) attend the press conference of 2009 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix on September 18, 2009 in Shanghai of China. Olympic champions and world record holders of track and field competitions will participate in the one-day competition at Shanghai Stadium on September 20.
  5. Russian pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva (L) stands with Chinese sprint hurdler Liu Xiang during a press conference in Shanghai on September 18, 2009. Chinese track star Liu Xiang will make his much-awaited comeback at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix on September 20, 2009 before a hometown crowd, looking to recapture some hurdles magic after his shock withdrawal from the Beijing Games. Russian pole vault queen Isinbayeva also will compete in a bid for redemption after failing to win a medal at the August 2008 world championships in Berlin.
  6. Russian pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva (L) shakes hands with Chinese sprint hurdler Liu Xiang during a press conference in Shanghai on September 18, 2009. Chinese track star Liu Xiang will make his much-awaited comeback at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix on September 20, 2009 before a hometown crowd, looking to recapture some hurdles magic after his shock withdrawal from the Beijing Games. Russian pole vault queen Isinbayeva also will compete in a bid for redemption after failing to win a medal at the August 2008 world championships in Berlin.
  7. Russian pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva (L) listens to Deputy Consul General of Russia Oleg Zuev (R) in front of the steel structure which will become the Russian pavillion at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai on September 17, 2009. Isinbayeva will compete on September 20, 2009 at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix in a bid for redemption after failing to win a medal at the August 2009 world championships in Berlin.
  8. Russian pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva (C) holds the hand of Shanghai's expo mascot, Haibao, as she stands next to Deputy Consul General of Russia Oleg Zuev (R) in front of the steel structure which will become the Russian pavillion at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai on September 17, 2009. Isinbayeva will compete on September 20, 2009 at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix in a bid for redemption after failing to win a medal at the August 2009 world championships in Berlin.
  9. Russian Yelena Isinbayeva reacts after the Women's Pole Vault at the 2009 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix, an international track and field event at the Shanghai Stadium in Shanghai, China, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009.
  10. Russian Yelena Isinbayeva clears the bar during the Women's Pole Vault at the 2009 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix, an international track and field event at the Shanghai Stadium in Shanghai, China, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009.
  11. Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia (L) chats with her coach Petrov Vitali in between jumps during the Women's Pole Vault at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix athletics September 20, 2009.
  12. Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia jumps during the Women's Pole Vault at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix athletics competition September 20, 2009.
  13. Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia reacts after a jump during the Women's Pole Vault at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix athletics September 20, 2009.
  14. Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia reacts after a successful jump during the Women's Pole Vault at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix athletics competition September 20, 2009.
  15. Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva attends a press conference of Shanghai Golden Grand Prix Friday Sept. 18, 2009 in Shanghiai, China. Many Olympic champions and world record holders of track and field competitions will participate in the one-day competition at Shanghai Stadium Sunday.
  16. Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva attends a press conference of Shanghai Golden Grand Prix Friday Sept. 18, 2009 in Shanghiai, China. Many Olympic champions and world record holders of track and field competitions will participate in the one-day competition at Shanghai Stadium Sunday.

Recent Photos From The Wire

  1. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev meets Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Moscow Kremlin on Monday, Dec. 7, 2009. Singh has begun talks with Medvedev in Moscow to clinch multi-billion dollar defense and energy deals.
  2. India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (C) walks past honour guards to meet with Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow's Kremlin, December 7, 2009.
  3. Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (L) shakes hands with India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as they meet in Moscow's Kremlin, December 7, 2009.
  4. China's Xu Xin (bottom) plays against Taiwan's Chiang Hung-chieh in the men's singles semi-final table tennis match at the East Asian Games in Hong Kong December 7, 2009.
  5. A stray dog passes by a dummy crocodile as activists participate in a rally demanding carbon reduction to save Sundarbans delta, in Calcutta, India, Monday, Dec. 7, 2009. Scientists have warned of alarming rise in temperatures in the Bay of Bengal due to climate change which could inundate coastal islands, destroy mangrove forests and affect India's Sunderbans, home to the largest wild population of Bengal tigers and one million people.
  6. Activists carry a dummy crocodile as they participate in a rally demanding carbon reduction to save Sundarbans delta, in Calcutta, India, Monday, Dec. 7, 2009. Scientists have warned of alarming rise in temperatures in the Bay of Bengal due to climate change which could inundate coastal islands, destroy mangrove forests and affect India's Sunderbans, home to the largest wild population of Bengal tigers and one million people.
  7. Mongolia's Munkhdul Enkhjargal reacts during an attempt in the men's 56kg weightlifting snatch competition at the East Asian Games in Hong Kong December 7, 2009.
  8. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - DECEMBER 07: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks at the South Korea's National Assembly on December 7, 2009 in Seoul, South Korea. Canada and South Korea met to discuss economic exchanges and to strengthen bilateral relationships in trade, culture and diplomacy.
  9. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - DECEMBER 07: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen Harper visit at the South Korea's National Assembly on December 7, 2009 in Seoul, South Korea. Canada and South Korea met to discuss economic exchanges and to strengthen bilateral relationships in trade, culture and diplomacy.
  10. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - DECEMBER 07: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks at the South Korea's National Assembly on December 7, 2009 in Seoul, South Korea. Canada and South Korea met to discuss economic exchanges and to strengthen bilateral relationships in trade, culture and diplomacy.
  11. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - DECEMBER 07: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen Harper visit at the South Korea's National Assembly on December 7, 2009 in Seoul, South Korea. Canada and South Korea met to discuss economic exchanges and to strengthen bilateral relationships in trade, culture and diplomacy.
  12. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - DECEMBER 07: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks at the South Korea's National Assembly on December 7, 2009 in Seoul, South Korea. Canada and South Korea met to discuss economic exchanges and to strengthen bilateral relationships in trade, culture and diplomacy.
  13. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - DECEMBER 07: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks at the South Korea's National Assembly on December 7, 2009 in Seoul, South Korea. Canada and South Korea met to discuss economic exchanges and to strengthen bilateral relationships in trade, culture and diplomacy.
  14. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pauses during a meeting of the Foreign Affairs committee, at the Knesset, Israel's parliament in Jerusalem, Monday, Dec. 7, 2009. Netanyahu testified at the committee about Israel's interest in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
  15. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks on during a meeting of the Foreign Affairs committee, at the Knesset, Israel's parliament in Jerusalem, Monday, Dec. 7, 2009. Netanyahu testified at the committee about Israel's interest in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
  16. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pauses during a meeting of the Foreign Affairs committee, at the Knesset, Israel's parliament in Jerusalem, Monday, Dec. 7, 2009. Netanyahu testified at the committee about Israel's interest in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.