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Isinbayeva Could Quit Pole Vault to Start Family

Russia's pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva may take a year out of the sport after this summer's World Championships to get married and give birth, a report in the Italian media said Wednesday.

Isinbayeva, 31, is set to compete in Thursday's Golden Spike event in Ostrava in the Czech Republic before arriving in Moscow for the August 10-18 World Championships on home soil.

"I'm thinking about taking a year out," she was quoted as telling repubblica.it. "I would like to get married and have a child," Isinbayeva said.

In the back of her mind, however, remains the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she hopes to erase memories of her disappointing bronze in London last year and go out on a high.

"It would be great to earn another Olympic medal," said the 2004 and 2008 gold medal winner. Isinbayeva won her first competition of the season in May by jumping 4.70 meters at the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai.

Isinbayeva, setter of 28 world records, finished third at the 2012 Games behind Jennifer Suhr of the U.S. and Cuba's Yarisley Silva.

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