#sergey bubka

Sergey Bubka broke the pole vault world record in 1984 then kept breaking it every year after by as small an amount as possible for the reward money. 

Sergey Nazarovych Bubka is a Ukrainian former pole vaulter. He represented the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991. Bubka was twice named Athlete of the...

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had far-reaching consequences for the world order and political stability.

Sport has reacted by banning Russian and Belarussian teams and clubs and most athletes while the world looks on in horror at the evolving and growing humanitarian crisis the war has created.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member Sergey Bubka, who is also President of the Ukraine National Olympic Committee, is co-ordinating the IOC’s humanitarian response to the crisis.

I am wounded to my core by what is taking place in my country, and I am calling to put an urgent end to this war, which seems to be resonating in every corner of the world. I know that I am not alone in wanting to thank everyone who is supporting the people of Ukraine.

I am spending every second of every day coordinating efforts with the IOC, my NOC team, the National Federations and the government to identify where the athletes, coaches and their families are located, and then work out how we can best help them. It is very hard, as people are constantly dropping out of communication, and we are very worried for their safety.

We have also been in constant communication with many NOCs and International Federations, trying to do our best to gather assistance for our sports movement.

We have been putting all our energy in the task that was given to us. I spend my entire day in meetings and on the phone. I can have dozen of calls in as many minutes. I sometimes fall asleep at midnight with the phone in my hand.

But like all Ukrainians, every day I struggle to sleep. So I wake up again at three in the morning and turn back to my phone to make more calls and exchange messages with family, friends, athletes and others in our sports community. I sometimes take sleeping pills, but they only get me another couple of hours until sleep is interrupted again.

Our hope is that we can help as many Ukrainian athletes and Ukrainian people as possible.

Some athletes, coaches and their families are still living in the war zone. We are attempting to help them the best we can considering the situation.

Other athletes are out of the country and need different types of assistance.

Despite the difficult conditions, our athletes continue to train. They are showing the strength of their spirit and are dedicated to winning.

We also want Ukrainian athletes to participate in international sports competitions. We want them to have the chance to win. We want to see our flag and to hear our anthem at all sports venues around the world.

From the very beginning, we have been totally overwhelmed by the offers of solidarity from the entire Olympic Movement. It is unique and a true example of the Olympic values in action.  

I am humbled by the personal messages I have received, not just from the IOC, NOCs or World Athletics family, but from the global sports family and beyond. These messages include strong condemnation of the invasion, the war and the breach of the Olympic Truce.

I am so thankful for the assistance that the Olympic Movement, the IOC Executive Board and President Bach have offered to the Ukrainian Olympic community, and I am pleased that my NOC team and I can play a part in this important and very much needed task.

We are very grateful that the IOC, many NOCs and International Federations and their member federations have already launched various support initiatives.

After announcing the creation of a humanitarian fund with Olympic Solidarity and the European Olympic Committees, the IOC already released an initial USD 200,000 to support the most pressing efforts.

The NOC of Ukraine, through its 25 regional offices, is handling distribution of the funds to those who need to receive them to carry out these efforts.

Our task force will identify and support other efforts as the situation evolves. To coordinate all the assistance, we are in regular contact with a vast number of NOCs that have offered to help.

We are talking to International Federations too, and they have given assurances that the situation of Ukrainian athletes will be considered for world rankings and so on. The Federations have also allowed their development funds to be used for urgent humanitarian purposes.

We are so grateful for all this support, and want to thank everyone who is helping us in these extremely difficult times.

My NOC team and I have been in close connection with the Ministry of Youth and Sport and Minister Vadym Huttsait, a fellow Olympic champion in fencing. I have also personally informed Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal about the IOC Executive Board decision on the creation of the solidarity fund, as well as other initiatives of the Olympic Movement.

The position and initiatives of the IOC and the Olympic Movement with regard to the current situation are very much appreciated by the Presidential Office, which has been made aware of the humanitarian efforts and the solidarity fund to support the Ukrainian Olympic community and sports movement.

The government encourages those athletes who can to continue competing.

Our athletes can inspire others by showing the resilience of the Ukrainian people and help send a message of solidarity and peace.

The recent amazing performances by the Ukrainian Paralympians who won the second highest number of medals at the Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, are a good example of this.

The International Federations and NOCs understand this too and have been amazing by going above and beyond to welcome Ukrainian athletes and facilitate their participation in international sports events.

* Calacus has supported Sergey Bubka’s humanitarian work for more than a decade.

Calacus is proud to have worked with Sergey Bubka, IOC Executive Board Member and Ukraine National Olympic Committee President, for many years.

We are devastated to see the human tragedy taking place in Ukraine following the invasion by Russia.

Laureus Academy Member and pole vault legend Sergey Bubka has told Sweden’s Armand Duplantis he has a ‘fantastic chance’ of winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

The two were sharing an enthralling conversation for Laureus.com, following the Nomination of Duplantis for this year’s Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award.

In the discussion, they talked about Bubka’s glittering past and Duplantis’ hopes for the future. They even spent time discussing the merits of the different length and flex of poles used for vaulting.

Duplantis took a massive step forward to confirm himself as the No.1 pole vaulter in the world in 2020 when he broke Renaud Lavillenie's six-year-old world record with a jump of 6.17 metres in Poland and increased it a week later in Glasgow to 6.18m. When athletics returned, in the Rome Golden Gala Pietro Mennea Diamond League event, he broke Bubka’s outdoor world best with 6.15m.

Bubka, who dominated the sport for almost two decades and is the only athlete in history to have won six successive world titles, broke the world record 35 times in his career. He told Duplantis: “This is great what you did, and I believe for the future it is also possible to jump higher. I understand that the Olympic Games is a very important event for you and, of course, I wish you good luck in the Olympics, because this is something unique. There is nothing to compare with the Olympic Games.”

Bubka recalled ruefully how he missed the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. “Back in my memory, in 1984, I lost my dream with many other Olympians who dreamed to compete in the Olympics and win the Olympics. I lost it because of boycotts. In your case, in your generation, it's a little bit different [with the pandemic], but I understand how tough it was.”

Duplantis, American-born but competing for Sweden, told Bubka: “It was pretty tough, because I was just coming off the indoor season where I broke the world record twice and I was pretty much just on top of the world. I felt fantastic jumping and the rhythm on the run and everything just felt really great and then, two weeks later, everything shut down. I think the main thing for me was keeping the motivation and the excitement - don't think of it as cancelled, it's just postponed, it's going to happen.

“I want to jump as high as possible, but a really important thing for me now is I want to win the championship meets. I came up a little short in 2019, I was second in the World Championships and so, of course, that's a meet that I want to win and I want to win several times.

“I think the big goal right now is the Olympics. I mean, it's the biggest event in track and field, it's the pinnacle of our sport. So I want to be able to come away with the gold because I think it's really important if you want to leave your legacy as one of the best pole vaulters to live.”

Bubka wished Duplantis luck. “You have a fantastic chance to get this glory and to feel this value of Olympic victory. I am also a member of the International Olympic Committee, I understand and I know how important it is for you, for your friends, for colleagues, for all the Olympic Movement to have the Games.

“Your family is a very supportive family. I always follow you. I know a lot of things. I wish all of you a lot of success. It's a bright career, and I consider it is beginning and you have great potential. Do your best, keep motivation and, of course, make your family and fans of athletics happy and proud.”

During the conversation, Duplantis revealed to Bubka that he has been one of his idols for years. “I grew up pole vaulting at such a young age. When I was four, five, six, I was watching videos of you, it seemed like it was impossible feats, really. As the years kept going on, and I started getting closer and closer to that six metre barrier, the dream started to become a little bit more of a reality.

“It's such a special mark. A lot of that is because of you, because you set the bar so high. There's still quite a few things I need to do if I want to catch you, but hopefully this career has just started and I'm able to achieve a lot more things.”

Bubka added: “Your achievement is impressive because athletics is very close to me, pole vault is my life, and to see you leading pole vault now will bring the new generation to a new level, this is something unique and special.

Pole Vaulter Armand Duplantis Breaks Sergey Bubka’s Outdoor World Record

[ad_1]

Armand Duplantis (Photo Credit: Reuters)

Armand Duplantis cleared 6 meters, 15 centimeters, besting Bubka’s mark of 6.14 meters set in Sestriere in July 1994.

Associated Press ROME

Last Updated: September 18, 2020, 10:40 AM IST

FOLLOW US ON:

Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis broke Sergey Bubka’s 26-year-old outdoor world record on Thursday.

Ukrainian PM @PMHoncharuk Renews Desire For Joint Olympic Bid With Belarus

Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk has confirmed that work is underway to assess the feasibility of a future joint Olympic Games bid with Belarus.

Ukraine Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk with IOC Member Sergey Bubka (right) on February 11, 2020 (Photo: Oleksiy Honcharuk/Twitter)

According to the RBC Ukraine news agency Honcharuk was candid with comments about a possible Olympic bid…

Ukraine Sets focus On Future #Olympic Games Bid

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy Tuesday advised government officials to prepare a bid to host an upcoming Olympic Games.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (Facebook Photo/Volodymyr Zelenskiy)

Zelenskiy, a former comedian who was elected in April to lead Ukraine, hopes to develop necessary sport infrastructure that could be used to stage an Olympics.

“We should give a task to our guys,…