Bubka: Sport life is always one of the most important things

(BEIJING, August 2) -- At age 19, he won his inaugural gold medal at the 1983 World Track and Field Championships. Following this feat, the Ukranian Sergei Bubka would go on to win five more consecutive world championship gold medals, break 35 world records, and add gold medals in the World Cup, European track and field championships, and the Olympic Games to his long list of achievements.

Sergei Bubka cleared a staggering height of 6.14m 14 years ago, setting a record that still has yet to be broken. The "king of pole vaulting" has since retired from athletic competition, but he is still highly involved in the world of sports as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and as Chairman of the IOC Athlete's Commission.

With the occasion of the one-year countdown to the Olympic Games, Mr. Bubka accepted an interview with the official website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

"For me the sport life is always one of the most important things."

"In the year 2000 when I decided to retire, I decided to bid to be a member of the executive board and represent the athlete's view. I think it's important to share [my] experience and knowledge, which I gained through my sport career. And when athletes become IOC members ... [They] participate in development of Olympic movement, participate in the decision, and represent the views and experiences of the athletes."

I think that every athlete first wants to be a part [of] and get the opportunity to participate in the Games."

"When I came to the Olympic Games in 1988, it was totally different in comparison to other major international events. You see athletes from different parts of the world, when they stay in the Village, they compete together, they start to build relations, they become friends, and this is unforgettable memory. But you can see that people around the world are similar. [We] share the same philosophy, the same views, the same goals, and at same time [we] respect each other. And I think maybe one of the reasons why I didn't manage to win more than one gold medal [is because] this unique atmosphere and the passion ... lifted my emotions so high that ... I made some mistakes. But for me, to be in the Games, it's an unforgettable memory."

"I believe that young generation [pole vaulters] are talented, [and they will] jump over my head, that's for sure. [My record] may stay a little bit longer but I don't think it will be [for] a really long time."

"When you host the Games, it's really great motivation for local athletes [for a] very successful competition in the Games. Last year during the junior world championships we saw ... Chinese athletes performing really well. For that reason I see their successful potential future. I will be not surprised [if they] win a lot of medals at the Beijing Games."

"To be a torchbearer is a big honor; you should be a good person ... and also a person who shares the Olympic values, who respects others, [and] also tries to be the best in their work, and of course build [friendly] relations. You can see, [only] such people really deserve the honor to run with torch."

"I for sure will have a lot of work and a lot of responsibility, and also ... I will be a spectator ... watching [and] still follow what's going on. I will be involved in many, many kinds of initiatives and projects during the Games."