Isinbayeva to go to Rio, aims to regain title

Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva kisses her bronze medal during the women's pole vault victory ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium August 7, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

LONDON - Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva will try to regain her Olympic title at the Rio 2016 Olympics after only winning a bronze medal in London.

"I decided to go to Rio 2016," she told Reuters on Wednesday.

Isinbayeva, who had set world records winning gold in Beijing and Athens, never looked comfortable in Monday's final of the women's pole vault on a chilly, rainy evening.

"I will compete at the world championships in Moscow in 2013. I will then have a break, I don't know how long, and then I will be back to go to Rio and get my gold medal back," the 30-year-old said.

The world record holder had previously maintained that she would quit the sport after the 2013 world championships in her native Russia.

She said earlier this week, however, that she did not want to retire with a bronze medal so might think about competing in Rio.