Konstantin Volkov noted that he is drawn to the sport of pole vault due to its “unlimited creativity.” At the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moslow, Volkov claimed the silver medal, where he cleared 5.65 meters. Wladyslaw Kozakiewicz of Poland took home the gold medal with a world record, at the time, of 5.78 meters.
On his proudest professional moments in the sport, Volkov said, “I am proud that I did not succumb to the temptation of doping.”
Presently, he is training his son, Matthew Volkov, in the sport of pole vault, where he is following his footsteps. The Olympian is sharing his insights with him, as well as his innovative ideas in training and technique.
Volkov feels that in the next few years, pole vaulting will reach a new level (where the world record will rise to the 6.20 meters to 6.30 meters range). “This will happen thanks to a new approach to training jumpers and, first of all, extra early specialization,” he said, prior to noting that he is a fan of Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis, who holds the world junior record in the sport (6.05 meters), which he set at the 2018 European Championships.
“In the next five years, the whole world will be delighted to watch the pole vault athletes compete,” he foreshadowed.
The Olympian’s advice for young and aspiring pole vaulters is “to find a good coach.”
For Volkov, when it comes to success, the most essential thing is “a state of peace and inner comfort.”
