Isinbayeva breaks pole vault mark

Isinbayeva is favourite to add to her impressive medal tally in Beijing

Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva broke her own pole vault world record when she cleared 5.04m at the Super Grand Prix meeting in Monaco on Tuesday.

The Olympic and world champion bettered her previous world record of 5.03m, set in Rome on 11 July.

The 26-year-old's 23rd world record was set on her third and final attempt in the south of France.

The mark cements her standing as firm favourite for gold at the Beijing Olympic Games next month.

I see this world record first of all as a personal best Yelena Isinbayeva

"The record just happened," said Isinbayeva. "Monaco is my home town and it's my first competition (in Monaco) since I've been living here. That motivated me.

"I'm in a good shape, I just need to keep my condition that way until the Olympics. I wanted to improve my personal best and that's what I did.

"I see this world record first of all as a personal best."

Isinbayeva initially trained as a gymnast in her hometown of Volgograd. She left gymnastics as a teenager because as she grew she was considered too tall to be competitive.

Her role model since she began the pole vault has been Ukrainian legend Sergei Bubka, and Isinbayeva has said that she would love to better his tally of 35 world records in the event.