Yelena Isinbayeva
Awards & Honours
8
Awards Won
2
Honours
2
Rankings
2
Covers
3
Records
Yelena Isinbayeva's list of achievements is staggering. She is the only female pole vaulter to have won two Olympic gold medals, and she has held the world record on multiple occasions. Her 5.06m outdoor record remains the standard of excellence in the event. She also won the IAAF Golden League jackpot twice, a feat that requires winning all six meets in a season. Her three World Championship titles and multiple European titles further cement her status as the greatest of all time in her discipline.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
IOC Athletes' Commission Member
Elected to serve an eight-year term on the IOC Athletes' Commission.
Ph.D. in Pedagogy
Awarded a doctoral degree in pedagogy.
Rankings & Lists
Greatest Female Pole Vaulter of All Time
Top 100 Greatest Athletes Ever
Magazine Covers
TIME
2008-08-18
The Flying Russian
Sports Illustrated
2008-08-25
Pole Vault Queen
Records & Feats
First woman to clear 5.00m in the pole vault
In 2005, Isinbayeva became the first female pole vaulter to clear five meters, a historic barrier in the sport.
Current outdoor world record holder (5.06m)
Set the outdoor world record of 5.06 meters in Zurich in 2009, which remains unbeaten as of 2026.
Most Olympic gold medals in women's pole vault
Won back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2008, a feat no other female pole vaulter has achieved.