体坛英语新闻：Isinbayeva hints to retire after two years

LONDON, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Russian pole vault legend Yelena Isinbayeva hinted on Tuesday that she would remain on the track in another two years and then choose to retire.

"For me, I decide that another two years and then I will retire. Training becomes difficult, hard and, of course, every year the body is getting old it becomes harder and harder to prepare for the competition," Isinbayeva told Laureus.

The two-time winner of the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award also showed her ambitions to the London Olympics, saying the only thing that can stop her winning a third straight gold medal this summer is "herself".

"In London, my main competitors will be myself, because I know how high I can jump and I know that height is almost impossible for my rivals. I am not worrying about the Olympics. I am confident because I know that right now everything is fine in my life."

Her current outdoors world record is 5.06 metres. "My coach says that my potential is 5.10 and higher, so that right now and with my present preparation, I am able to jump 5.10."

Isinbayeva, currently having set 30 world records herself, said that another of her remaining career goals was to beat Laureus World Sports Academy Member Sergey Bubka's record of 35 world records.

"Sergey was a role model. He was a star at the time I was starting. It was my goal from the beginning to set up 36 world records. I would like to make one more than Sergey did."

The year 2012 has started superbly for Isinbayeva, who won two successive Olympic gold medals in Athens and Beijing, but who took a break from the sport in 2010 after some poor performances.

"My winter season started fantastically well. My victory in the World Indoor Championship in Istanbul gives me more confidence for the Olympic Games in London and my indoor world record in Stockholm brings me back on top, so I am again No 1 in the ranking.

"It's such a great feeling to come back to the same level as I was before. It's great to feel again that I am able to jump five meters and higher," said the 29-year-old.