Pole vault world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva has decided to take ‘an indefinite break from competitions’ after failing to medal at last month's World Indoor Championships.
Isinbayeva finished only fourth in Doha and the disappointing display came six months after crashing out without making a height at the World Outdoor Championships.
Now the 27-year-old Russian feels she needs a rest her body.
The Olympic champion said in a statement: ‘I have been thinking over this very carefully the last three weeks and have now come to the conclusion that 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.’
Isinbayeva added: ‘It is my full intention to continue training and keep myself fit. At this moment I cannot exactly say when I will return to competitions.
‘I have not completely ruled out the entire summer circuit or the European Championships in Barcelona.’
She insisted: ‘Nothing has changed with my long-term goals which include the 2011 and 2013 World Championships and the Olympic gold in London 2012.’
